Torn
by Celestial-sweet
Summary: Yasuho's life is tearing at the seams. The volatile Rokakaka trade is catching up to them and when Josuke unravels, Yasuho is pushed to her limit. She's left more vulnerable than ever as she struggles to protect two men who barely know her. This a story in which the protected must become the protector. Rate M because anything is possible.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Josefumi and Hoshikage unfuse and Yasuho doesn't know how to feel about it. A multi-chapter fanfic.

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He'd stripped at his own suggestion.

It was the most strategic course of action rather than having to rewash his clothes, he explained. She could only nod before he tossed his sailor shirt near the door, turning her back toward him to grant the privacy he didn't know he needed.

Up till now, Yasuho assumed he had been styling his own hair. It wasn't until she started seeing little 'nicks' in Josuke's hair line that she'd questioned Tsurugi about who had been cutting his hair. To her dismay, Norisuke-san had assigned the task to the disgruntled Joshuu.

An attempt at forcing a brotherly-bond, she bemused.

The nicks became even more apparent after Josuke started asking her to go out with him more often. Josuke, was so honest in the way he dealt with people, she couldn't bare the thought of Joshuu trying to sabotage him under the ruse of helping his adopted brother keep up his appearance. And so she offered to to style his hair, which Josuke animatedly agreed to.

"Yasuho-chan!" Avoiding his gaze proved to be in vain as he ducked around her small frame to come face to face with her, in nothing but a pair of navy blue boxers.

"Oh my gosh." She said, feeling heat rush to her cheeks at the state of his undress. His eyes were bright, excitement permeating off him like a child on the first day of school. She could could feel her lips form their own smile as the warmth of his joy lit a spark in her.

Yasuho had him sit in a chair, facing away from the large bathroom mirror.

She grabbed the clippers Josuke had borrowed from his adoptive brother as she prepared to cut his hair.

"Here it goes." The crack in her tone was as unintentional as the shakiness of her hands. She'd be be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. Her heart was beating through her rib cage.

 _But why worry?_

She'd cut her own hair since middle school so she knew her way around a pair of clippers. She'd never doubted her hair styling capabilities before, at least until Mamezuka came along. Overall, he was a courteous man but his flowery hospitality, grew from a dark crevice she was convinced hid monsters her nightmares could only dream of.

She avoided contact with him when at all possible.

Yasuho had been open to him when they have first met. They were under threat of attack by an enemy stand and Mamezuka had taken in both her and Josuke to his ski lift abode on the mountain. But in the midst of it all, he saw fit to use her as bait. Josuke had come to her aid after the plant appraiser pushed her down a 20ft drop, but she still had the scars to remind her of how disposable she was.

Unfortunately, she couldn't dodge Mamezuka without completely cutting off Josuke. The quest for the rokakaka had the two paired off like a married couple. But when she did have to see the plant appraiser, she spared only a few words.

Hello.

Goodbye.

And not much in between, if she could help it.

Mamezuka seemed to have a dark sense of humor.

He loved small talk.

Correction.

He loved small talk with her.

So much that he would break a extensive conversation with Josuke just to make a random remark she'd be forced to respond to. Lately, he'd taken a liking to doubled-edged comments on her appearance. The plant appraiser's compliments had their own backhand, most of which were aimed toward Yasuho's hair.

'You look like you cut your own bangs.' Yasuho recited the words internally. There was nothing offensive in what he said alone.

 _What was that supposed to mean anyway?_

That man irked her to no end.

She loved the way her pink hair brushed the roofs of her eyelids and framed the sides of her face. She had a feeling that Josuke did too.

The buzzing roar of the clippers in her hand died in an instant when Yasuho realized her first folly. Stopping in her tracks, she instead pulled out a black heart-shaped compact decorated in gold colored roses.

"Woah, Yasuho!" Josuke jumped as he felt her soft form press into his back, Yasuho's arms wrapping around his shoulders and trapping him in a welcomed embrace. She rested her chin over the Joestar mark of his left shoulder as she spoke into his cheek.

"You forgot something." She teased.

His head whipped around so he could face her, a small amount of panic etched into his handsome features as his brows raised in question.

"Oh! I-I did?"

He was so cute, she could hardly stand it.

"Mhmm." She opened the compact mirror in her hand and faced it toward Josuke.

He looked intently at his own reflection.

His bi-colored eyes widened, inspecting his face from every angle as if recongizing himself for the first time. Yasuho almost dropped the mirror when his hand reached up to cover her own. Gently he angled her hand so that the mirror included both of them within its depths. The heart-shaped black border of the mirror, made their reflection look like one of those lovey-dovey couples photos her friends carried in when they wanted to brag about their boyfriends.

 _'If only..'_

Yasuho averted her gaze, embarrassed about her thoughts.

She bit her lip.

"Yasuho? Was it something important? I'm s-sorry..I can't remember.." She could see the disappointment in his eyes over not being able find the answer.

He was just like the lost puppy she'd loved so much in her childhood.

"Oh, no. It's just...your hat is in the way. I need to get to your hair so i can cut it." She angled her hand up to reflect the white and blue sailor hat he was wearing in the mirror's reflection. His decorative tassle bounced where it hung on the rim of his hat as he titled his head, trying to understand the situation. His dark brows furrowed.

"No worries! I was just teasing you." Yasuho stood up and closed the compact mirror with a soft click before grabbing his left hand in both of hers. She felt a tightness in her chest. She regretted that her teasing had caused him distress. Had she been thinking, she would've remembered how sensitive Josuke was over his memories. It wasn't much but she rubbed the soft skin on the back of his hand, hoping it would be enough to soothe him.

Josuke looked up at her from where he was seated. Slowly his full lips stretched into the gap-toothed smile she loved so much. Promptly, he took off his sailor hat and placed it on the counter behind him. Free from constraint, his hair cascaded to his shoulders. Each strand, a wave in a dark ocean of lustrous hair. It was in stark contrast to his alabaster skin, and plush rose-colored lips.

His mischiveous dark eyes turned to Yasuho.

"What a naughty girl!" In his excitement he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. It might've been a bit too tight, because Yasuho's knee collided with his, causing her leg to bend as she fell into his lap.

Yasuho squealed.

If it wasn't for his strong arm, she would've been picking teeth off the bathroom floor. Her body weight had completely rocked over his legs, her face halting inches from touching the tile as her legs flailed in the air to counterbalance her weight on Josuke's bare thighs. She knew he would never hurt her, but sometimes she wondered if he realized how strong he actually was.

"Oh, my gosh." Yasuho let out an exasperated breath that turned into a nervous laugh. She allowed her legs to drop as she relaxed. The distribution of her weight put a pressure on her lower abdomen and pelvis that left her slightly breathless.

"What are you laughing at Yasu-chan? Huh?!" Josuke cocked his head to the side as he peered down at Yasuho, a playful glint in his eyes.

Yasuho may be small, but she was never one to back down from a challenge.

She turned her head to look him straight in the eyes.

"I'm laughing at you, Josuke Higashikata!" She attempted to lift herself up from her bent position only to have Josuke tickle her profusely. Her body involuntarily writhed at the feel of his treacherous fingers gliding along the exposed skin, where her shirt had hiked up to expose her belly and back.

"Uh-uh. You're still in time out, you naughty girl!"

Yasohu laughed frantically.

"What was that?" Josuke held his right hand up to his ear, as if he struggled to hear her. He was rubbing it in. Part of her wanted to throw a hissy-fit, and the other half wanted to kiss him.

Though, she could hardly respond for all the giggles that escaped her.

"Josuke, please!"She spoke between breaths.

"Hmm?" The lilt in his voice was full of amusement.

"Please!" Yasuho couldn't take it anymore.

She caved.

Payback was a given.

Josuke Higashikata's day would come.

For now she'd play nice, because he'd won today.

 _Cheater._

She resisted rolling her eyes and Josuke grabbed her hand to pull her up. Yasuho, who had been face down the whole time, landed in a resting position on her knees as Josuke gently positioned her weight to the lower half of her body.

Yasuho pouted.

She squinted her eyes into the best death glare she could muster, resulting in Josuke wiping tears from his eyes from laughing so hard.

"Yasu-chan, is sooo cute." He never let go of her hand, which he held in his lap as he stared down at her in all his half naked glory. His porcelain skin glistened in the fluorescent light. Not because he was clammy, but because he was born with skin that most girls would strangle a cat for. Both soft and firm.

Yasuho found herself mesmerized, yet again, in the gaze of his bi-colored eyes. He possessed a beauty, that didn't belong in this world. When she looked hard enough she could see the seam that ran along the center of his body. It was easy to forget that at one point Josuke had been two separate people, each with their own hopes and dreams. She wondered if she had gotten to know either Kira Yoshikage or Kuujo Josefumi, would they have been as close as she was with Josuke.

She wondered if Josuke was attached to her because he truly liked her, or just because he felt he didn't have anyone else to turn to. She craved his attention. It was undeniable. But sometimes she felt guilty. Was she taking advantage?

She found herself becoming self conscious when she realized Josuke was still holding on to her hand. He turned it, palm side up. Lightly, he began tapping the base of her index finger with the tip of his own. His breathing had become heavier, his broad shoulders rising and falling in a rythmic fashion.

"Umm, Josuke.."

He didn't bother to explain as he intersected their fingers.

Softly, he pushed the tips of his fingers through the divides at the base of her hand, forcing a gap between them. Yasuho's skin tingled as he slowly uncurled the joints of his noticeably larger hand. It felt like thread gliding the eye of a needle, building static as he traced between them, spreading her fingers to match is own. The stretch was gratifying and somehow wider than she'd ever positioned them on her own accord.

It felt strange.

Yet pleasurable like something she was almost too scared to name.

Yasuho could feel her heart begin to race when Josuke bit his lip. His gaze fixated on her slightly trembling fingers. He'd never acted this way before. She was in a bit of a daze. Her mind tried to process what was happening but drew up a blank.

Josuke closed his eyes. His mouth parted as began lift her hand.

 _He wouldn't..._

The warm moisture of his steady exhales against her fingers made the cool air of the room all too noticeable in its absence. His mouth parted a little wider, his tongue peaking ever so slightly over the curve of his moist lips.

"J-Josuke?!" Her voice was urgent. Almost pleading. This was not normal behavior for him. It was increasingly difficult to fight back the notion that this Josuke wasn't quite the same guy she picked up from between the wall-eyes.

"What a lovely voice." They were both brought out of the moment by a voice that was neither Josuke's or her own. Josuke released Yasuho's hand as his attention focused on the intruder.

"Ah, Jobin-san. Konnichiwa!" Josuke greeted in a chipper voice. It was as if nothing had transpired between them. The atmospere lightened immensely with his change in demeanor.

"I wish my wife would say my name like that." Jobin sauntered in to the bathroom, amusement rolling off him like a heady perfume. The green hair that swept over his right eye, was held in place by its usual hair clip. A left-over from the Higashikata ritual of dressing the first-born son as a girl in order to ward off misfortune. It was a feminine contrast to his masculine demeanor.

The eldest Higashikata son's presence was overwhelming and Yasuho instinctively retreated ever so slightly behind Josuke's form, hoping to God that she could somehow dissapear.

"Jobin-san, I thought you had gone to Hawaii as well." Josuke turned his body toward the Jobin and the door; Away from where Yasuho kneeled at the side of his chair.

Josuke had told her that his adoptive family had flown to Hawaii as a weekend getaway. She hadn't expected any run-ins. Least of all with Joshuu's older brother. She recalled very little interaction with him despite being his younger brothers childhood friend. He always wore a pleasant smile on his lips despite his predicament of worrying over the possibility of his only son suffering the cruel fate of the rock illness.

 _'Oh, God...please don't look at me' She begged inwardl_ y.

"I'm still jet-lagged from my business trip to New Zeleand. I'd like to keep my zombie ass here in Morioh for a while." His laugh was unrestricted and warm as a thousand summers. "Don't mind me, I just came to grab an aspirin."

He patted Josuke's shoulder as he passed them both by to open the closet on the far end of the room. There was a series of bangs and clunks until he held up a small white bottle with a red cap that rattled when shook. Pleased with himself, Jobin stepped right over a flustered Yasuho who clung to Josuke's leg like a lost child seeking protection. He didn't acknowledge her in the slightest.

 _'It's like he doesn't even see me.. '_

Yasuho's eyes crossed as a translucent bubble floated into her line of sight, settling on the tip of her nose. Relief washed over her as recognized the barely visible bubbles of Josuke's stand, "Soft and Wet," most of which, settled in the palm of his hand. She never felt more greatful for his ability to remove things selectively, such as sounds and sight.

 _Josuke was hiding her from Jobin!_

Her grip on Josuke's leg loosened, and she couldn't help but smile in gratitude to his reflexive protection. Josuke seemed at peace with Jobin's company. Though her friend's actions made her wonder if the elder Higashikata put him on edge as much as her.

Jobin grabbed the door knob as he began to exit the bathroom. He stepped into the hallway, then paused to turn toward Josuke again.

He lowered his uninterested eyes to where Yasuho was kneeling behind a seated Josuke.

He waved.

"Ya-chan, Yo!" Leaning against the frame of the open bathroom door, Jobin's eyes widened as he feigned shock at Yasuho's compromised position on the floor. He gasped, bringing his hand up to pathetically cover his slackened jaw. "I'm sure Joshuu would be heart broken!"

"We're not dating!" Yasuho sputtered.

"No need to explain to me, missy." He winked at her then regarded Josuke.

"Those are fuckboy problems." And with that, Jobin skipped down the hall muttering words that suggested a little heartbreak might grow Joshuu a few chest hairs..

The door shut with a resounding click.

Yasuho turned to Josuke who appeared just as shocked as she felt.

His eyes were fixated on the door through which Jobin exited.

It was Yasuho who chose to break the silence. "I thought you hid me from him."

"I did." was Josuke's soft reply.

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To be continued..

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Author's notes: Hey guys, I'm pretty excited about this story. I'm having a lot of fun writing it. I'll try to update at least once a month.

Yasuho needs more love in the fanfic community!

Comments and criticisms are more than welcomed :D


	2. Chapter 2

After Jobin had left, Josuke and Yasuho returned to the task at hand with few words exchanged. Honestly, as glorious as his shoulder length locks had been, it hurt Yasuho to cut it.

"There! All done." Yasuho smiled as she set the clippers back on the bathroom counter. She tried not to blush as she began brushing stray hairs off of Josuke's bare shoulders.

"Well done, Yasuho! I feel a little more handsome than I did 10 minutes ago." A boyish grin stretched across his features as he gripped the edge of the counter, leaning into his own reflection. He inspected her handy-work with a keen eye, his own elegant hands brushing over the soft fibers of his hair.

She smiled softly, releasing the breathe she didn't know she'd been holding. It was a relief to see how pleased Josuke was with her handiwork. No nicks. His hairline was perfectly edged, and Joshuu wouldn't be able to do a darn thing about it.

"Hey, in the future.. if you feel like you need a cut, we can make a date out of it." It was either that, or she'd make a point of teaching Josuke how to better tend to himself. No more of Joshuu's cock-blocker haircuts. The young man simply nodded in response, smiling feverishly in the mirror.

"Ok. I guess I'll go home now." With that done, she began to gather her belongings. It felt like she had overstayed her welcome, not with Josuke, but within the Higashikata household. It didn't matter that all of the family, save for Jobin, had left for Hawaii. Maybe it was the wall-eyes, or maybe it was the awkwardness of visiting the home of a childhood friend whom she constantly rejected on a romantic level.

Josuke walked her to the front door as usual, where Yasuho put grabbed the tennis shoes she'd taken off earlier and easily slipped them on. There was no need to tie them. She'd placed a double knot on her shoelaces that were never undone. They were as good as slippers.

Josuke waited patiently, never straying his eyes from her, even when opening the door to allow her to exit. However, she hadn't expected him to follow her outside and close the door behind him.

Yasuho looked up at him with a questioning stare.

"Thanks again..for the hair cut." Josuke stood in the doorway, scratching his head awkwardly. He had redressed himself in a variation of his usual sailor suit. A hesitant hand reached out to brush a stray hair from her rosy cheek, leaving a trail of goosebumps as he traced down along the curve of her neck before resting at the nape. "Sorry if I made things awkward back then..you know, before Jobin. I guess I've been feeling kinda weird lately.."

"How so?" Yasuho was relieved that he was opening up.

"I don't know... I find myself doing things that, just don't make sense." His elegant dark eyebrows furrowed. "Like, when Joshuu left his nail clippings on the dining room table. I was gonna just throw-em away.. but when i opened the trash can, my head hurt and my heart started to pound. So.."

"You kept them?"

"They're in my drawer, in the bathroom."Josuke's lips seemed to twitch, unsure of whether a smile was appropriate for the conversation. He started to drag his feet along the asphalt, grinding a dead leaf into golden brown flakes. The hand that he'd placed on Yasuho's neck, withdrew as if he'd been caught touching something that was off limits. Josuke was so close, yet he'd never felt so far away. Not since she'd first met him near the wall-eyes.

But Yasuho refused to let him run away from her. Not even her own family had made her feel as wanted as Josuke did. With him, she fit. Broken as she was, he filled in the cracks.

She closed the space between them and rested her head on his broad chest, nuzzling into his body heat with each rise and fall of his rib cage. She could feel him stiffen at the contact, pulling back slightly.

"Listen, you've been through a lot. Try not to frustrate yourself. Some of your old personality might be trying to settle itself out, even if you can't understand it." The words she spoke were tender. She could feel him tremble slightly, as he release an emotion that had mostly likely been capped for longer than was healthy. There were no sobs, just an occasional wetness that tapped her forehead as she nuzzled the crook of his neck.

Yasuho felt Josuke's arms wrapped around her while she was content to stroking lines in the fabric of his cotton shirt, uttering occasional words of comfort. They stayed there, resting in each other's arms, unbothered, listening to each heartbeat, and enjoying the cool air of the evening breeze.

When Josuke seemed to have calmed down, Yasuho gently brushed her lips against his collar bone as she whispered, "Give it some time."

Yasuho lifted her head only when she felt something smooth and stiff move against her thigh.

"Umm...J-josuke?" She squeaked, and instinctively moved to grab whatever had made a home between her legs. To her horror it started to vibrate.

"It's not me, this time. I promise!" Josuke looked at her quizzically, apparently having felt the same sensation. He patted himself just as thoroughly as she did herself. She separated from him and sure enough his pants fit just as well as when he first redressed himself. No tents had been pitched.

Suddenly, the theme to her favorite love drama resonated off of her and she remembered that her skirt had pockets. She groaned. None of her friends were in the habit of calling her. If they needed something, they would text. Her dad was out of the picture, and Josuke was next to her, so there was no need for him to ring her phone, which only left one possibility..

Reluctantly, she dug her cellphone out of her pocket and tried not to frown.

"Yes, Mom?"

"Yasuho, hun. It's getting late. Where are you?" Yasuho felt incredulous at her mother's choice of rhetoric. The fact that those words came out of the mouth of a woman who notoriously disappeared for weeks at time leaving her to tend to herself when she was only in middle school made her want to scream. It was true, she'd spent her childhood chasing the affections of a mother who chased the affections of strange men, leaving her in the dust, alone to raise herself.

"I'm with a friend." Yasuho bit her lip to stop it from quivering.

"Oh, is it Yumi?"

Yasuho hadn't been friends with Yumi since 5th grade when she thought Yasuho was trying to steal her boyfriend. It was untrue of course; the boy had taken a liking to bullying her and Yumi was jealous of all the unwanted attention.

Yasuho looked over to Josuke who was now leaning against the brick wall of his house, a concerned expression on his face.

"Yea, I'll tell Yumi, you said hi." Her finger hovered over the 'call end' button and her mother seemed to sense it.

"Yasuho, wait! One more thing!" The voice was slightly frantic. Yasuho waited silently for her to continue, biting her lip even harder to catch herself from snapping off. Her only response was the low sounds of her breathing on her end of the line. It was enough encouragement for her mother to continue.

"Would you mind picking up a few things for me on your way home."

"Sure."

"Thanks dear! Oh and I have a surprise for you when you get h-"

 _Click._

Yasuho had heard as much as she could bear.

It was bad enough she'd have to see her face when she got home. Resentment she had tried to bury began to scratch at the surface. Her eyes closed tightly to fight the sting that was beginning to draw wetness to the corners of her lashes.

She stood still. Head lowered in a way she hoped would hide the plethora of emotions she was fighting back.

"Yasuho.." Josuke's voice was heavy as he tried to piece together what had transpired.

Even though she didn't look up, she could sense him pushing off from where he rested against the wall and turned her body away from him. Just a few moments prior she had been determined to be strong for him, with what little comfort she could offer. Now she was the one, becoming undone. She wished for all the world that she had been born to someone else, yet she still couldn't bring herself to hate her mother.

She impulsively resisted when she felt his fingers wrap around her wrist. Crying was something she preferred to do in private. Blinking held her tears at bay, but did nothing to stop her quivering lips. As much as she wanted, she couldn't hide from Josuke as he gently, yet firmly guided her body to face him. His other hand cupped her chin, lifting her head so that he could inspect her.

Something was clearly wrong.

"Yasuho..." He tried again.

What had transpired, that could have broken her down in less than 30secs?

Her pale cheeks where flushed red, brows twitching with all the effort it took to keep them apart. And she still refused to look at him, choosing instead to keep her eyes tightly shut, her long dark lashes fanning across her cheeks leaving marks where her mascara entwined with dampness that threatened to overflow.

Needing no further indication, he called forth his stand 'soft and wet'. Pristine bubbles, popping where they made contact with the tears that had overwhelmed her pride. He gazed upon her fresh face, void of any make-up, smudge, or tears.

Yasuho still refused to look at him. Eyes shut as tight as a catacomb.

She felt embarrassed that he had caught her slipping.

Yasuho was the happy one.

The girl who had it all together.

She was the shoulder to lean on.

Not the other way around.

She'd been independent since she was ten and her mother ran away with one of her lovers to God knows where. She resurfaced near the end of the school year, battered and broken after a run-in with another, younger, mistress that her rich boyfriend had left her for. Needy child as she was, Yasuho had welcomed her back with a hungry embrace. Unfortunately, that would be the pattern her life would take through to adult hood. And at this point, she couldn't afford to care anymore.

If she was honest, she'd admit that she felt an animosity toward men in general. For representing what stole her mother's affection, and how she wasn't enough for a love that should have been hers by birthright.

Yasuho's eyes fluttered open when she felt Josuke's plush lips brush against he corners of her eyes. It felt like the wings of a butterfly; soft and fleeting.

As she looked into his eyes she had to admit Josuke was different, unlike any other man she had crossed paths with. They were wide with concern, clearly alarmed at her reaction to her mother's call. It made her want to cry all over again.

"Are you ok?" He held her face in both of his hands, not allowing her to turn away.

"Yes...I should go." Her eyes pleaded with his. Silently begging him not to pick the scab of an old wound.

After a long moment, he relented any further questions he was ailing to ask.

"Let me walk you home. It's gotten dark." Josuke grabbed her hand only to have her snatch it away, as if she'd been burned by his touch.

"That's ok. I have to run a few errands first."

"I don't like the idea of you out, by yourself this late." He insisted, taking a few steps to match her pace as she proceded to exit the Higashikata property and onto the main road adjacent to it. The street lights had been triggered, lighting the path she would take. There were few people on the sidewalks. The majority, middle-aged business men returning home after drinking with their colleagues. They wobbled down the street, mostly minding their own lives. One walked straight into a sign post muttering nonsensical words about how his coworker didn't deserve the promotion.

 _Harmless._

Nothing she wasn't accustomed to handling.

Josuke's assessment of their surroundings seemed to trigger a deep well of irritation. He frowned, the cogs seeming to turn behind his unnatural eyes.

"Yasuho. Biologically, men feel the need to copulate and.."

oh, Jeez.

 _As if she wasn't already aware.._

He continued, "If the wrong person caught you alone and I wasn't near to protect you...I wouldn't be able forgive myself." His dark brows knit together and his mouth twisted as if he had bitten into something sour. Her love interest was concerned about her purity being assaulted..

Yasuho's cheeks were so inflamed, she wouldn't have been surprised if she had spontaneously combusted. "Omg, Josuke. You act like some guy's waiting around to sink his claws into me." Yasuho was a far cry from what she herself, considered to be attractive. There were plenty of other girls in Morioh, for a predator to focus on he if wanted a real catch. She was pretty sure, she'd be alright.

As if to prove he was serious, he grabbed her hand tightly, determined to make sure she made it to her destination safe and untouched. He dragged her down the sidewalk like an unruly child.

"Oh, God.." Yasuho grabbed her phone.

Sure enough, her mother had texted her a list of items to fetch before she returned:

 _ **Bicardi Rum**_ _**Trojan (XL)**_ _**Tomato Sauce**_

 ** _Thanks Hun! ~ Mom 3 XOXO_**

 _...she wants a pack of condoms?_

Yasuho looked at her phone, a ghastly expression on her face as she as a new realization dawned on her.

Her mom hadn't been dumped this time.

She felt like her spirit had left her body and she stopped struggling as Josuke continued to pull her hand to match his brisk pace.

There was no way she could buy a pack of XL condoms with Josuke watching!

She'd rather die.

Suddenly, her phone chimed as Yasuho's stand 'Paisely Park' displayed two options.

 _ **Head to Seven Eleven**_ _**Board Bus 495 in less than one minute**_

Yasuho chose the second option.

She and Josuke both turned around as headlights as bright as the morning sun engulfed them from behind. Yasuho realized they had made it to the bus stop with out even trying.

Quickly, she turned to Josuke and kissed the corner of his mouth, using his moment of stupor to take her exit, "Josuke, I'm just gonna take the bus home. It goes straight to my apartment!"

Before his lips could part in protest, she had already boarded and paid her fare.

The bus doors closed in his face.

Josuke looked upon the retreating transport with an unsettled expression.

Through her window seat she peaked her head out and waved at him.

"Nothing ever happens in Morioh, anyway."


	3. Chapter 3

Jobin stood by the window as the sun set on the little town of Morioh.

Peering from his bedroom's second-story floor, he looked down upon the bane of his existence.

Josuke Higashikata.

Jobin knew little about his father's reasonings for adopting the younger man, but it had yanked a thread from the elaborate efforts Jobin had put forth toward obtaining the one miracle that could spell the end of the Higashikata curse.

Groaning loudly, the eldest Higashikata son, allowed himself to process the stress he allowed to pile up during his absence from his hometown. The painkillers he took would do little to alleviate the headache that was his current reality, anyway.

Damo Tamaki had been killed...and on the Higashikata estate.

That little detail equated a **HUGE** problem.

Tamaki had been a gate keeper in regards to the underground trade of the Rokakaka fruit. He was also the man who ultimately held the door wide enough for Jobin to slip through the ranks of a world that detested humans. Not close enough to get his hands on the coveted fruit, of course, but near enough to pick up on some vital information.

That was motivation enough for the eldest Higashikata son to use the family business to money launder for the deadly Rokakaka smuggling ring. There was no official name for the group, Tamaki-san had detested such flagrancy as an act that would draw too much attention. They were simply there for the spoils.

There was much profit to be made from the misfortune of the fortunate. Wealthy men whose affluence couldn't afford them the one thing that mattered; their lives.

And so they made a business of it.

Damo Tamaki, Yotsuyu Yagiyama, and a few more of their kind; Rock people, as they called themselves. They were an anomaly, as far as Jobin was concerned. A species of man thriving within the rock-like state that would've taken his life as a child. A species that by all means and purposes could slip in and out of the human population, without detection. Rock people existed outside the border of human society. No records meant no identity as far as the feds were concerned. Which left minimal means for Rock People way to function effectively within the dominant culture.

Jobin was scouted specifically because of his ties to the Higashikata fruit company and brought onboard to help them integrate into human society.

In a way, Jobin viewed himself as a reaper, though not a particularly grim one. He never took a life, simply found those who were hanging off the edge between this world and the next. Then he pointed them toward Tamaki and his crew.

Transactions were enacted only within their tight-knit circle. The Rokakaka was exchanged in person, cash-in-hand; A quarter million yen for one piece of fruit. All handled under the table by way of the Higashikata Fruit company. What happened thereafter was not his concern.

They'd get their secound chance at a price. Rokakaka had mysterious properties to restore to the body what was loss. He himself had seen a few clients cured from incurable diseases, snatched back from the abyss, and continue their lives vicariously with a bounce on their step that would ware off as another part of their body started to malfunction. A new set of lungs may be paid for with a kidney. The only constant in the use of the illegal fruit was the rule of equivalency. The healing effects of eating the fruit were never without cost, whether paid for by the client's body or that of another.

It was an undeniable parallel to the Higashikata battle against the Rock disease; a cruel fate passed down from parent to child, most commonly the first born son. Its onset, assured by the age of 10, would lead to rapid deterioration in an otherwise healthy body.

Uncrossing his arms, Jobin raised a steady hand to his face, feeling the softness of his skin, remembering a time when its suppleness had stiffened and its texture became hostile as granite.

He subconsciously scratched the deep vertical ravines of his left cheek, residue from a time when his own father had hesitated to make the brazen decision required from past Higashikata patriarchs.

A sacrifice of equivalent exchange.

One life for another.

It wasn't a gift out of love, so much as an expectation; a duty to ensure the success of the next generation and the longevity of the the family bloodline. When his own time had come, Jobin had been none the wiser. A cheerful lad who simply enjoyed spending quality time with his family on a hot summer day. It wasn't until Jobin noticed his own limitations in running around with his friends that he had asked his mother why he was different.

She never lied to him the way his father did.

Protection is what his father called it, when he refused to tell him the whole truth.

He was brought out of his thoughts as his burner phone began to ring for the 7th time in the past hour. It was a cheap prepaid phone he used in order to separate his business from personal affairs. Truthfully, Jobin's contact had been blowing up his phone for the past 3 days, and he wasn't sure he could avoid him much longer. The business trip to New Zealand had allotted him an allaby, but now that he was back in Morioh, the drama was bound to catch up with him.

Hesitantly, he turned from the window to walk to the prepaid phone that had been haphazardly dumped into the tin can on his computer desk. It was full of the paint brushes he used to stimulate his prized stag beatles. There were so many, trying to dig his hand through them would be useless, so he dumped the whole thing on his king-sized bed. Sure enough, the phone blazed even louder after it hit his red cotton sheets.

Picking it up, he fumbled with the closed flip phone, and failed to answer before the ringing stopped.

Part of him felt relief, the other...dread.

Tamaki had been **BOSS** as far as he was involved.

Jobin did suspect that there was another above him, but he had never gone so deep that he'd brushed shoulders with the individual that Damo Tamaki reported to..

 **Ding!**

He looked at the screen alert that told him a text message had been recieved.

The caller I.D. said unknown.

Sweat began pool at his temples as seeds of anxiety sprout.

He didn't particularly like dealing with the unknown.

He liked it even less when the 'unknown', 'unknowns' came to introduce themselves.

Taking a deep breath, he stilled his shaky hand.

"Ok, 3, 2, 1..." Jobin counted down to the moment that would decide his immediate future.

He flipped the phone open.

 **Unknown: I scraped up Damo Tamaki's body from Midori street.**

Jobin just stared at the screen. Midori street was the road that ran along the east section of the property. After a moment of thought, he replied.

 **Jobin: When was this?**

After several minutes his phone lit up again.

 **Unknown: Last week. You know somethin'?**

 **Jobin: No, but that explains why he hasn't been answering my calls..**

Of course, the eldest Higashikata already knew that the rock gangsta had been murdered. In fact, he was somewhat pleased that he had been. His family clued him in about the deadly situation involving a **_love_** interest his younger sister Hato, brought home. Damo Tamaki preyed on her while on the set of one of her modeling gigs; she was the key he used to access the family estate. The 'Rock man' practically melted everyone in the house with his stand _Vitamin C_ , including the maid.

Jobin assumed it was due to Josuke killing Tamaki's right hand, Yotsuyu Yagiyama, after a failed attempt of trapping him on the Higashikata estate.

So Damo Tamaki decided to murder the whole family.

The aftermath was a vicious brawl.

Hato came out on top.

Damo has killed by the same man as his underling.

And the house was still in need of repairs.

Jobin stood up from the edge of the bed when the light in his room began to noticeably dim. Not bothering to recollect his stag beetle brushes, he returned to the window, absorbing the last bit of warmth as the sun sunk lower into the Japanese horizon.

 **Ding!**

The text message he read made his heart pound.

 **Unknown: I should kill you.**

So they knew..

Guilt by proximity. Two deaths at his family home.. how could the smuggling ring _not_ think he had something to do with it.

Jobin felt himself beginning to sweat. His bedroom was suddenly a hot box.

His stand, _Speed King's_ power must of have been activated by his adrenaline.

"What should I say..." he mumbled to himself.

 **Jobin: Bring it-**

The text was deleted as soon as he pressed the last key.

He knew not to pick a fight with a man he could not see. Jobin was a formidable stand user, but he still had no idea how deep the Rokakaka's roots ran within the Rock-human underground. His everlasting headache pulsed even harder when his phone chimed again.

 **Unknown: But if you were a rat Damo would have killed you himself.**

Another chime.

 **Unknown: As an act of good faith, I require something from you.**

Another.

 **Unknown: Check your car.**

Jobin bolted out of his room.

The wood floor panels creaked with every pound of his footsteps as he made it to the hall and down the stairs.

"Sorry!" Jobin yelled, as he nearly ran over the maid, a very startled Nijimura-san, on his way to the garage.

Cold wind from the open garage door and caused his sweat covered body to shiver involuntarily. Who had opened the door? Josuke never used that exit and Nijimura was not forgetful enough to leave it open.

Jobin gauged his surroundings.

There were no footprints or any other indication that someone had broken in.

Aside from the open door, everything was as it should be.

Cautiously, Jobin peered through the window of his golden lamborghini. His fingers pressed against the cool of the glass as he made out a a small pink box in the passenger seat. It was the size of his hand and wrapped like a present with a purple bow to secure it.

 _Cute._ He chuckled dryly.

He opened the car door, and slid in the driver's seat, eyeing the package warily.

The odds of it not being a bomb?

Slim.

But here was no other option. Whoever messaged him knew where he lived and was most likely hanging around to make sure he obeyed.

 _Speed king_ manifested as a pulsing translucent heat wave.

It was a gamble considering it was a close range stand. The further he sent his stand, the weaker it's attack became. But scouting out the perimeter was worth the temporary vulnerability. Besides, it was almost undetectable in that form, aside from the unusual rise in temperature.

He needed to determine if he was in immediate danger.

Jobin reclined in his black leather seat, running his nails along the stitching.

His eyes closed as he willed his mind to connect to the vision of his stand.

 _Speed King_ scoped the area within a 10km radius.

It was dark, so the colors of the environment were muted by the blue of the night sky, making it harder to differentiate shapes. Jobin instead focused on finding pockets of heat that were not his own. The nocturnal creatures popped from the monotonous environment, appearing in blobs of yellow and orange as his sensor locked on to their body heat. A rat, owl, and a few bugs were all that came into view.

Nothing alarming.

Jobin retracted his stand and focused on his current dilemma.

The 'gift.'

He reached over the cup holder to the passenger side chair and picked up the box.

It was light as a feather.

He shook it, yet nothing rattled inside.

Jobin held his breath and untied the bow.

When he looked into the box he saw a single note.

 **Kill Kujo Josefumi**

Jobin's eyebrows shot up at the unexpected request. It would have made more sense if the note had mentioned his sister Hato or Josuke, since they were the ones responsible for taking down Damo Tamaki.

He flipped paper to look at the back.

 **Your wife dies**

So he was being given two options.

 _Kill Josefumi or lose his wife._

Jobin should've expected as much. Forgiveness would not be given freely. He was expected to earn his way out of punishment. Admittedly, it was a very mob boss-like course of action. He'd have to take every precaution from this step forward.

"..Kujo Josefumi." Jobin tested the name on his lips and scowled.

He remembered Tamaki had used the name as an alias but he assumed the identity belonged to someone who was already deceased. From what he'd heard, it was customary for rock people to target a particular human in order to absorb their assets and status when they choose to integrate into society. In any case, this was the best possible outcome. With Tamaki out of the way Jobin was one step closer to whoever was holding the reins on the Rokakaka smuggling world.

Murder was not something he aspired to do, but if it meant advancing his efforts in obtaining the Rokakaka, and a cure to the Higashikata curse, then so be it.

His son, Tsurugi depended on it.

The only issue was, "Who is Kujo Josefumi?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Fuck!"

Josuke fell with a grunt, tasting all the gravel that hadn't lodged itself into the skin of his face, arms, and knees when he fell gracelessly into the bushes.

Following Yasuho had been a snap decision.

His lungs burned, his feet hurt, and his heart was freaking out.

In all honesty, he hadn't planned on leaving the Higashikata estate. But his gut made him go after her, slippers and all. Yasuho's face was seared into his mind.

The hurt in her eyes..

 _Why wouldn't she tell him what was going on?_

He'd fix it no matter what it was.

Why couldn't she just trust him..

Josuke huffed, trying to regain all the oxygen he'd let slip away during his pursuit. He had sprinted with a reckless abandon, causing a ruckus as he almost ran into a bewildered drunkard. The man had wanted a fight, but Josuke hadn't the were more important pursuits he was after.

Yasuho was keeping something from him.

Ignoring the pain, he hoisted himself back onto his feet, looking around to gauge his new surroundings. He stepped out of the bushes of what looked like a small a park and onto the sidewalk. This prefecture was more populated than the suburban area of the estate. The Multi-story buildings told him that he had reached the downtown area at the heart of Morioh. Neon lights blared offensively, bringing attention to a wide variety of shops. More than a few shady characters weaved in and out of questionable establishments with storefront windows displaying whips and an array of strange contraptions.

 _Oh, no. The bus!_

Josuke nearly gave himself whiplash as he searched for where the bus had turned to. Letting his focus slip for a fraction of a second could cost him everything. Sure enough, he saw the rearview lights of the massive vehicle three blocks down from his current position and turning onto what he recognized as the entry ramp of the highway.

"Shit, shit, shit!"

He was prepared to hunt it down regardless. Savoring the last bit of unlabored fresh air he'd have for a while, he spared himself a cat stretch.

Then booked it.

He went on blind dash down the street, not bothering to look for stop lights, straight into the oncoming traffic.

"You stupid fucker!"

The driver of a red corvette expressed his displeasure as he honked his horn, swerving in order to avoid hitting the young man. The car after that stopped abruptly, earning itself a hearty ram from behind, curtesy of the next car.

But none of that mattered.

He was about to lose track of the one person who mattered in his life, aside from his "mother," Holly Kira. The streets were becoming increasingly more crowded than he thought they should be on a Friday night. Much to his irritation, he was forced to weave in and out of crowds of rough-looking night prowlers. The horde of hoodlums became thicker with each step and Josuke found himself having to push his way through, grabbing shoulders and faces alike, just in order to clear a path.

Not good.

At this rate, he'd never catch up to Yasuho. Josuke scowled. A burning Irritation was quickly replacing whatever hope he had to find her.

"Hey, watch it!"

A rough hand snatched the fabric of Josuke's collar, nearly choking him in the process, and he was forced to look into the green eyes of a very aggressive, haggard looking fellow. The large man appeared to be in his forties, with sharp features and an overwhelmingly prominent nose. His flushed face, was as round as the moon, and sparsely covered in what Josuke dared to call a beard. Two, equally unattractive women clung to either one of his arms, scantily covered in leather vests and ripped spandex. Their bodies were practically spilling out of their clothes.

"Listen punk, that was my gal you pushed just now. I don't take kindly to disrespect." The threat, hardly concealed within the man's thick accent. His weathered face contorted into an expression so fowl, the muscles in his forehead formed what appeared to be horns.

Josuke regarded the man with bewilderment. "What's that on your face?"

"The hell you talkin' bout?"

Josuke could feel his nose hairs disintegrate from the hot breath that escaped through the holes in the man's decaying teeth. Faintly, he pointed at the metal piece poking out from either side of the man's nose. Without giving him a chance to reply, Josuke pinched the tips of the silver stud where it rested in the bridge of his nose, and yanked it straight out.

There was a loud crunch followed by a scream as horrid as grinding metal.

The two accompanying females looked on in horror as blood gushed from their lover's face like a faucet.

"Kevin-kun!" The blonde woman shrieked as the brunette fawned over the Gaijin who was holding his face while crying in a fetal position.

"There, there, babe.." She dabbed his face with a napkin she pulled from her cleavage. The injured man paid her no mind, opting to look up at Josuke who was trying to rub the blood off his formerly white shirt.

"Aaaw, man. I just washed this too.."

"You bastard..." he growled in between snorting the blood that continued to leak out of his face.

Curious onlookers had formed a circle by this time, though none moved to intervene. A petty fight was not the outcome Josuke was hoping for when he decided to leave his house. He heard the siren of what he recognized as the police in the distance then decided it would be best to take his exit and avoid a more dramatic scenario.

Josuke scanned the area for a reasonable pathway, taking note of a wisp of pink hair flowing through one of the gaps in the crowd of people.

There was no need for him to push his way through this time, as anyone standing in his path was swift to remove themselves, throwing him wary glances as he wiped a few specs of blood from his porcelain skin.

"Yasu-" He began to yell for all his excitement, then thought against it.

Maybe he shouldn't disturb her.

When he was free from the multitude of people, he glanced at the massive entrance to the building that everyone had been crowded in front of. On the wall was a large poster signifying the concert of a punk rock band. It depicted the severed head of a goat along with snakes, skulls, and roaches crawling along an apple.

It was rather grotesque for his liking.

Shaking his head, Josuke continued to stalk Yasuho quietly from the shadows.

Yasuho climbed the stairway to her apartment with much trepidation.

Her mother had never brought a man home before.

..this was uncharted territory.

She tried to imagine what type of guy her mom would go for.

Rich, was a given.

Growing up, her mother never worked a steady job. Though, somehow the lights never went off and there was always money for food. It wasn't unusual for her to sport designer clothes and mink furs, so whoever she was involved with had to have been loaded..

He was probably an old dude too.

Yasuho imagined a short, little wrinkly dude, fawning over her mom as they shopped for the latest Gucci gear. She was aware of the whole sugar daddy concept, and most of those relations involved buttering up a lonely guy with deep pockets and nothing to loose.

Yasuho hoped her mother wouldn't resort to such.

Upon reaching the final step to her floor, she saw that the walkway was clear, and began to move toward her own abode. There were several wooden doors along the inner wall of the concrete building. Each had their own assigned number mounted in silver.

Unit 708 was the apartment she shared with her mother.

On second thought..

Yasuho took a moment to compose herself.

She stepped to the outer end of the breezeway, readjusting the heavy grocery bag in order to relieve the blood flow in her finger tips, before opting to set it down.

The cool air was exactly what she needed to soothe her nerves.

Leaning against the railing, she gazed upon the Morioh city skyline.

A thousand golden lights danced along the horizon, beautiful enough to rival the stars above. It was a clear night aside from a few sparse clouds that glowed pearlescently in the moonlight. The atmosphere was not quite as peaceful as one would expect to relax in. She could hear the bustling traffic and uninhibited yells of bar patrons beneath her home; an unavoidable cost to living in the affordable, yet sketchy part of the town.

Yet having spent so much time in that environment, Yasuho allowed the roars of the city to lull itself into a hum of ambience within her ears. It was like an auditory haven where she didn't need to process the day to day strife she was force to live.

It was a far cry from Josuke's peaceful abode in the Higashikata estate. He'd been adopted into a family of multimillionaires, and Yasuho was sure he still didn't know just how lucky he was. She, herself, was all too aware that he resided in a part of town she could only dream of being able to afford.

Speaking of which, the guilt of her departure was starting to sink in.

Technically, Yasuho had ditched him when he only wanted to ensure her safety. Josuke was such a gentleman and sweeter than any guy she knew. Yet, when he tried to comfort her, she pushed him away...and she felt so bad for it.

Was she thankful for the swift escape?

Of course, there was no denying it.

Buying the alcohol and spaghetti was not a problem.

Nothing unusual about that. Everybody had to eat. And she was grown enough to have a drink if she wanted it.

...but the condoms..

Yasuho peaked once again in to the plastic bag she held, setting her cheeks ablaze in an instant as she recalled her shopping experience.

She had tried to be as discreet as possible.

Morioh was a sizable town, but word spread around fast and she preferred not being the center of the latest gossip. Thankfully, no one was in the intimate care isle of the corner store so swooping in and snatching the XL pack went without incident. It wasn't until she presented her items to the cashier that the man took the liberty of reading the package label out loud.

With that stupid pervy look on his face..

"Extra large! My, you must be a lively young lady!"

She could've died on the spot.

All the more reason to be thankful that she had left Josuke behind. She couldn't fathom, having to explain to him why she was buying a pack of Trojans.

But still...she wished her mother just hadn't bothered her with the task at all.

With one last sigh she braced herself to face her mother and her mysterious love interest.

"Here we go." She walked up to her door and grabbed the handle.

Suddenly her phone chimed and her navigational stand, _Paisley Park_ spoke up.

 _"Choose one option."_ Her stand's mechanical voice piped up

1\. **Text Josuke** or 2. **Text Josuke**

"You're right." Yasuho happily agreed and typed up her 'apology' text.

 **Yasuho: I made it home safe.**

That didn't seem to be enough.

 **Yasuho: Miss you already 3**

She'd make it up to him later.

Gathering her resolve, she grabbed her bag off the ground, turning toward her apartment. Yasuho had barley touched the handle when the door flung open and she was rewarded with a mouth full of hair.

"Hi Honey!"

Yasuho's mother squeezed her like she was shaking down a bottle of ketchup. The curls of her honey auburn hair glowed like a wild fire in the fluorescent lighting of the foyer.

An array of kisses, assaulted Yasuho's cheeks.

As much as Yasuho'd hate to admit it, the overwhelming display of affection softened her heart. This was the mom she always yearned for. A mom who was sober enough to greet her with a smile; who didn't allow her own thirst for love to dry up any affection she had to give to her own child.

"Hi mom." she replied faintly.

Yasuho felt her body giving in..

..slipping, into her mother's embrace.

And it terrified her.

After they separated, Yasuho was able to get a good look at her mother, Suzuyo Hirose. The cigarette smell she remembered her by, was absent. Her eyes were bright, just like her hair which she had lightened from it's natural dark color. And her slim but curvy figure was clothed in a modest, white, polyester v-neck and a knee-length fuchsia pencil skirt.

It was very..professional..

Was this the same Suzuyo Hirose who gave birth to her?

"Oh! I have a surprise for you! Well, he's waiting in the kitchen.." Suzuyo smiled ecstatically and grabbed her daughter's free hand.

So I was right...there is a guy..

Kicking off her shoes, Yasuho barely registered the chime of a text alert before the door shut behind her and she was pulled deeper into this alternate dimension she called a home. The place was almost unrecognizable. What she had come to know as a landfill was now devoid off all the wear and tear that came with being occupied by a dysfunctional family.

It was clean.

Shiny even.

There were no empty food containers laying around.

The wine stains in the living room carpet had been eradicated.

No broken glass to cut her foot upon.

Yasuho could even see her own confused reflection within the dark wood floors.

 _Where am I, really?_

Part of her was suspicious of a stand attack. This had to be some kind of mind freak, or practical joke. She wouldn't have been surprised if Tsurugi was playing one of his 'Let's trip up Yasuho' games again like he did when he took away her ability to differentiate faces and signs.

An even greater part of her feared that this was legit.

Yasuho's stupor was lifted when she bumped into her mother who had stopped short of the entrance to the kitchen.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Her mother was trembling.

Suzuyo swiftly turned to face her. The faint crinkles above her rosy cheeks framed her glossy chestnut eyes. She squeezed Yasuho's hand, coming close to whisper in her ear.

"I feel like we're about to start a new chapter. I know I haven't been the perfect mother, but, just know that I love you and I want things to be better between us."

Yasuho nodded mechanically.

It felt like the right thing to do. Whomever this love interest was, had to be really important to her mother. Slowly, Yasuho brought her hands around the older woman and hugged her, resting her head on the crook of her neck. If she had truly found her happiness, then Yasuho would do her best to support her.

For now, she'd reserve her judgment.

Yasuho moved break the embrace, but found herself tangled within not one, but two sets of arms.

"You're just as lovely as your mother." The unfamiliar voice was deep and oddly rhythmic like the bass of a drum.

A tall figure overshadowed her mom from behind.

Yasuho's body tensed.

Omg, he's touching me!

"Kaito, I thought I told you to wait in the kitchen!" Suzuyo giggled, releasing Yasuho to grab ahold of her lover's arms from where they were wrapped around them.

"Sorry dear, sensed all the good vibes coming from the hallway and I couldn't help myself." The man, Kaito, was grinning wide as a Jack-o-lantern. He was a clean cut man, with a perfectly symmetrical face. His hulking frame was moderately built and draped in a perfectly tailored, emerald dress shirt that his ripped jeans rebelled against. Dark hair and brows accentuated his tanned skin, creating a stunning contrast to the platinum eyes in which the light seemed to dance.

Suzuyo playfully booty-bumped him, causing the man to hunch forward reflexively as he stumbled back a step.

He grabbed his crotch and faintly mouthed the word "Ouch."

Yasuho stood in silence, watching the playful interaction unfold.

"Sorry dear, let me introduce you properly."

Suzuyo Hirose bit her lip, eyes alight with a spark she hadn't seen since their family was in one piece.

The love doves shared a knowing expression then faced Yasuho together with the widest smiles on their face. They both presented their left hands to Yasuho, but it was her mother who continued to speak.

"I'd like you to meet your new father."

If you enjoyed reading this chapter please vote and leave a comment :D

I love to interact with my readers 3

FYI:

 **Gaijin** = Foreigner

Also, I love Rock. So despite Josuke's interactions with the "hoodlums" I mean no shade toward the music, style, and other people who are into it.

Rock on my friends 3


	5. Chapter 5

"Feel free to call me daddy."

"Haha, I'd rather not." Yasuho, faked her best smile.

This Kaito guy was really pushing it.

She was trying her best to be open to the situation, but it was difficult.

Yasuho had to consciously refrain from throwing scowls in her mom's direction. It had only been a few moments since the couple first dropped the news that they had eloped. Yasuho had barely been able to stop her knees from buckling under her. Autopilot was the only thing sustaining her.

Part of her felt betrayed.

Although, surprise was not a word she would use to describe her thoughts on her mother's behavior. A woman who could ditch her own child was capable of anything. The unexpected was exactly Yasuho's expectation of her mother and without any further explanation, Suzuyo pushed her and Kaito to the dining room as she rushed into the tiny kitchen in the adjacent room.

Kaito pulled out a chair from the square glass table and looked expectantly at Yasuho, a sheepish grin etched into his angular jaw. She stared at him a moment before slowly approaching him, accepting the small olive branch; Despite the situation, she didn't want to appear rude by refusing his attempt at showing goodwill.

Though she dragged her feet along the way.

After she sat down, he pushed her chair up to the table with an ease that betrayed his lithe form. It was almost as if she were the guest in her own home.

Yasuho sighed.

She imagined this was all a part of one of her mother's grand schemes to glue her makeshift _"family"_ together. And while her mother was preparing their fantastical Italian dinner, she had been left to _"bond"_ with her new step-father, whom she'd only known existed for the last 10 minutes.

Kaito was...friendly, to say the least.

He had taken the initiative in spurring a conversation, talking animately as he attempted to tear down the uncomfortable wall of silence that stood between.

Of course, the usual impersonal topics were checked off the list:

 _"How's school?"_

 _"What's your major?"_

 _"What are your hobbies?"_

To which she replied,

"Great."

"Computer science."

"Coding."

 _Yada, yada._

Her lips barely parted, expression solid like a marble slab, as she mechanically responded to his questions. She hated being forced in to social situations. Yasuho trained her eyes on her view of the oak floor through the polished surface of the glass table, noting the scratch marks from where its black metal leg had been pushed to and fro.

This was not how she, wanted to spend her night.

There were so many other issues to deal with, like finding new leads on the Rokakaka, or getting more clues on Josuke's past..and her head hurt just thinking about all the homework she needed to catch up on for her discrete mathematics class! Speaking of which, she wondered what Josuke was doing at the moment..

Nodding absent-mindedly at whatever Kaito was saying, she slowly slipped her phone from the pocket of her flower covered skirt so as to avoid drawing any attention to her actions. To her delight, the message alert was present.

A smile broke through her hardened facade.

Sucking her bottom lip slightly she opened her inbox. Thankfully, her phone was already set on silent mode, curtesy of _Paisely Park_ ; She didn't have to worry about it making any unattractive sounds.

Gingerly peaking into her inbox, she nearly squealed when she saw Joshuu's name..

..and by Joshuu, she meant Josuke who had heroically liberated the communication device from his adoptive brother.

Yasuho instantly caved, opening the messages:

 **Josuke:** Glad you're home.

 **Josuke:** I'm gonna get you for ditching me like that Yasu-chan! Not fair :p

 _"As if!"_ Yasuho thought to herself with a grin. She still owed him for the tickle attack back at his house. There's no way she'd let him win twice in a row!

But still..

She was overwhelmingly thankful for his playful text. The weight on her chest was beginning to lift. His humor, like an eraser, wiped away the self-bashing lies and guilt that toyed with her fear of failing him.

Josuke never seemed to dwell on the bad.

No, Josuke was like a gust of wind, refreshing and strong enough to whisk her away from her self-maintained pit of quiet hopelessness. Ad she found it incredible, how adept he was to treading above water, even though his own life was flooded within a sea of misery and misfortune.

Truly, she envied his inner strength..

The glass table began to vibrate slightly, with a persistent tap that derailed her train of thought, tossing the blinding glare of the reflected chandelier light into her eyes, which she closed to stop them from stinging. Her hands, which she held beneath the table, reached for her face instinctively at a poor attempt to further shield her eyes, only to bang her phone against the underside of the glass tabletop, knocking the device from her grasp with a deafening clang. Yasuho felt an unusual draft brush against her calf as she awaited the bang of her phone hitting the ground.

But the impact never came.

"My apologies.. I'm not enough to hold your attention."

The words rang relatively close to her, reverberating within the walls of her ear canal. Yasuho's eyes shifted upward in alarm, locking with Kaito's whose face was mere inches away.

Her nostrils grazed on the earthy scent of his cologne which was sobering like the dew of morning grass, mingled with the mint of his breath. His torso leaned heavily against the glass, in a way that expressed he could sleep at any moment as he gazed up at her through half-closed eyes.

Yasuho hadn't realized when Kaito had exchanged chairs to sit beside her.

Her eyes traced along his bicep, up his forearm, to the left hand on which he rested his head. There, in his palm was a small cellular phone that seemed disturbingly familiar.

..above the glass, without a scratch on it.

Confused, Yasuho looked down through the transparent table, spreading her feet apart to check if her phone was indeed laying on the ground.

The floor was clear.

Patting her skirt didn't produce the device either.

Yasuho spared a second glance at the phone in his hand and, as if on queue, Kaito teased the power button with his thumb. It lit up, immediately displaying a lock screen of her favorite sailor boy.

 _How did he..?_

"Yasuho-chan." Kaito looked up at her from his lounging position His eyes gleeful as he pouted, teasingly. "It's rude to play on your phone when someone's talkin' to you. I'm sure Suzuyo taught you better."

"S-sorry!" She withdrew from him immediately with a small bow.

"That's quite alright." Kaito set her phone on the table, but made no effort in returning it to her. Instead, he playfully flicked the power button again to display the lock screen of Josuke's goofy face with a mouth full of fries. A long finger trailed the outline of Josuke's form. She watched him, annoyance growing as he began to chuckle lightly. "You have interesting tastes. He's a very special looking fellow."

Yasuho's eyes narrowed slightly, not caring for the tone of his voice. "He's amazing, actually. The best man I know."

She'd had enough of Kaito's taunting.

Something about the way he gazed at Josuke, left her feeling violated, like an excavated treasure pillaged by a man with no means of proper appraisal. She possessed few things of value, but the boy on the lock screen topped them all.

Cautiously, she reached for her phone, staring down her adoptive father, challenging him. As her hand covered the hard plastic surface of her cellphone, Kaito laid his hand atop of hers. Involuntary shivers ran down her spine when his icy cool digits made contact.

Yasuho paused.

"Why don't you try asking me a few question?" Kaito did not stop her from pulling her hand out of his loose grasp, taking her cell with her. He offered a wide grin to reset the conversation.

Yasuho regarded him warily.

Sighing, she leaned against the glass table. "So, how did you two meet?"

Kaito sat up in his chair. His crisp green dress shirt wrinkled when he crossed his arms over his chest. Looking off into space with a dreamy expression, he began his tale..

"Well, I was on my way to work when I saw this gorgeous lady near the crosswalk, haggling with a food vendor about the price of her donuts. I felt drawn to her so..I slowed my stroll to indulge in your sweet mother's angelic voice as she said, "..If I have to spend 2000 yen on a dozen donuts I expect them to be lined with gold!"

Yasuho stared in disbelief.

"..and I told myself, now that's a woman I can jive with. I offered to pay, and slipped my card in the box."

He gave a boisterous laugh as he added, "I also let her know that if she wanted a little help burning those calories off she knew where to find me."

A wide grin appeared on his face as he began flexing his eyebrows suggestively.

"Kaito!" Suzuyo had returned from the kitchen, red faced.

Yasuho and Kaito both shot straight up in their chairs as she slammed a large bowl of spaghetti on the table, gritting her teeth through a smile wider than humanly possibly. It was a miracle that she hadn't cracked the glass surface.

"Honey, I think you're confused, we actually met at the bookstore, haha. Remember?" Her tone was soft as she daintily placed a hand on her cheek.

"No...I don't read books for fun.. hun." His word were slow, as if searching his memories for a forgotten file.

"Yes you do!" Suzuyo screamed.

The smack of Yasuho's palm hitting her forehead and running down her face was lost in their bickering.

Yasuho awoke the next morning tangled in a soft selection of thick aqua colored bedding. Slamming her hand down on the wailing alarm clock sitting on the night stand, she cringed as she remembered the events of the night prior. Dinner played out smoother than she anticipated after Kaito conceded to her mother's insistence that she had indeed been haggling for books on quantum physics, and not donuts.

Yasuho didn't care one way or another about what their alibi was.

She inhaled her spaghetti and chugged her water, barely sparing a good night before she escaped to her room. The activities of the day had caught up with her eternal clock by then, pushing her into a dreamless sleep nearly as soon as her body touched her western-style bed.

Groaning, Yasuho forced herself to rise. Any further attempts at sleep would be in vain. Vibrant rays of the morning sun were breaking through the blinds of her window and attacking her light sensitive eyes. So she opted to pick her outfit for the day, along with a towel and wash cloth.

Yasuho was ready to head for the bathroom shower but paused when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror of her closet's sliding glass door. Her pajama shorts were comfy but a little revealing. It wouldn't be a problem if it were just her and her mother in the home, but she wasn't comfortable with Kaito's presence yet.

She decided to change into loose fitting flannels that swallowed her curves.

It would be best to avoid any potentially awkward situations.

Luckily, she was able to reach the bathroom without running into Kaito in the hallway. After a hot steamy shower she finished the rest of her hygienic routine and dressed herself in black tights underneath a pair of gold buttoned, navy blue daisy dukes, and a gold sweater with the word 'autumn' printed in black ink. A high ponytail and pair of black-heeled boots polished her attire.

Yasuho was sure she'd be able to escape the apartment without any human interaction but was disappointed when Suzuyo called her name from end of the foyer. Every fiber in Yasuho's being wanted to ignore her, but hesitation allowed her mother enough time to run up and hug her from behind.

"Good morning to you too, mother." Yasuho turned to face her.

"So, what do you think?" Suzuyo was still dressed in her usual red night gown, a flowery silk bonnet covered her hair.

"About what?" Yasuho played dumb, wanting to avoid the conversation entirely.

Suzuyo wasn't having it.

She gave her daughter a stern look, too tired to play games; She waited.

"..He's ok. I still don't know him..but you seem crazy about him so that's what matters." Yasuho noticed the fall in her mother's expression.

"He really is a great guy..kind and loyal in all the ways your father-"

"Don't!" Yasuho cut her off. Her voice erupted like a volcano from her tiny body. She turned to head for the door, finished with the conversation, only to be yanked back by the book bag she was carrying on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry! But he abandoned us both, Yasuho." Suzuyo's voice ground into her daughter's heart like a rusted knife. Her wet tears penetrated the back of Yasuho's sweater as she held tightly around her daughter's mid section.

"Are you done? I have to finish some research at the library."

"No. I need you to do something for me."

Yasuho should've expected as much.

Handing her a spare key from her pocket, Suzuyo explained, "I need you to drop this off at Kaito's workplace. He'll be staying with us for a while until we close on our new condo, in downtown Tokyo."

"Are you kidding me? I'm not even half way through the school year! We can't move."

"I said us. That doesn't have to include you."

Once again, Yasuho could feel herself being pushed to the outer edge of her mother's heart. With much effort, she smoothed the worry lines from her brow and reinforced the dam that held her tears at bay. Her bated breath was the only indication of her high emotional state.

"Why don't you take the key to him yourself?! I didn't marry him." Yasuho's words were strained. She willed her ears to close, not wanting to hear any more as Suzuyo persisted.

"I would, but he decided to treat me to a spa day. I wanted to take you with me but you seem so busy with school." Suzuyo could feel her daughter go limp in her arms. "Kaito is a good man, and he's taking his new fatherly duties seriously. I'm sure I could talk him into paying for you to stay her while you finish your studies. He loves me, which means he'll have to love you too because you're the most precious part of my life."

Yasuho looked at the silver key resting in the palm of her hand. It was attached to a red, heart shaped, key-chain her birth father had bought as a good luck charm. She was surprised her mother hadn't thrown it away as of yet.

It was a cheap trinket from her happier days as a child and prior to the ugly divorce of her parents.

It was in good condition.

The words inscribed on it were still legible:

 _"My Love"_

Yasuho could feel the fight leaving her.

If her mother was dead set on Kaito, then so be it.

Resigned to the situation, Yasuho uttered the only words left to say. "Where does he work?"

"The University hospital off of 53rd street."

And with that, Yasuho pried her mother's arm off and slammed the front door behind her without so much as a farewell.

* * *

Sorry it took so long for me to post this chapter!

Good news is, I finished most of the next chapter already.

So it will be posted on time next week.

Also, I'll be updating some of the previous chapters for the sake of formatting and consistency. I'm still getting into the flow of writing a longer story so I have to work out a few kinks while I catch my bearings.

As usual, feel free to comment. I'm very friendly :D

Also if there's something about my writing style you feel I could improve on, feel free to let me know.

I'm not easily offended and I'd like to make my story as enjoyable for you all as possible.

Thanks for reading! 3

~ Anomaly ^_^


	6. Chapter 6

**Trigger warning:** References of suicide in this chapter.

* * *

"Excuse me. I'm looking for Kaito Yamada."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No. I'm his...daughter."

Yasuho practically choked on the words. She made a note to bleach her mouth out later; she needed to purify herself from uttering such a blasphemous statement.

She walked the short distance to the hospital for the sake of appeasing her mother. The building was midway on her route to class so she passed by there regularly. For her own sanity, she usually preferred to walk on the opposite side of the street from the medical facility.

Focusing on the birds singing amongst cherry blossoms helped to keep her mind from reliving memories she'd rather forget. Yasuho had been a patient there only once that she could remember.

..When she'd tried to commit suicide as a child, after her dad left home.

The divorce had wreaked havoc on her heart. During the separation process, her father tried to visit regularly in an effort to maintain her a sense of normalcy. Her heart lit up every time he came. But when he left...her fire would die down into a pile of ash.

So every time he came, Yasuho did her best to make it a special occasion.

Dressing up was a must.

On one of her school outings she even bought an expensive hair clip, hoping to earn one of her father's compliments. It was beautiful cast of gold with pink crystals near the center. Yasuho was sure he'd love it. Everyday she wore it in anticipation of her father's arrival only to suffer mental attacks from what she later realized to be a Rock Animal disguise. The memory of that occasion burned her soul like a block of dry ice.

When Yasuho closed her eyes,

 _she could see her father seated at the dining room table with his usual cup of tea. The bright morning sun made him glow like the savior she always knew him to be. The hero who would save her from her unruly mother; her sadness; herself. After she finished checking herself in the mirror, she ran to greet him. With every step she could feel his strong arms embracing her, holding her in place when every other aspect of her life was falling apart faster than a pillar of sand._

 _But, before she could open her mouth, he turned to her with a smile that broke her heart as he said, "I can't see you anymore. I have a new family now."_

 _Strangely, any feeling of safety or wholeness began to disintegrate along with her father's image. His love, his security, became nothing but specs of dust, drifting within a fleeting breeze._

The whole ordeal had been a stand attack, of course, but she didn't know it at the time. Her hair clip was a Rock Animal, and it had defiled the only refuge she had ever known.

Yasuho's thirteen year-old mind was unable bear the weight of his rejection.

It broke her.

Numbness had taken over when she made the decision to slit her wrists. She carefully laid herself in a half-filled bathtub to make the clean up easier for whoever found her. It ended up being her mother who rushed her to the hospital she was currently standing in.

The University Hospital of Morioh.

Yasuho turned her attention back to the elderly woman behind the help desk.

She was currently on the phone trying to fact check her claim of being Kaito's child. The woman seemed skeptical as she squinted up at her from behind the black marble countertop, scratching at the coarse black hair, stuck awkwardly on the left side of her wrinkly chin.

After a few moments the younger worker sitting next to her whispered, "Yamada-san mentioned he had eloped recently. This must be his new step-daughter.

Yasuho interjected. "I just need to drop something off for him. He forgot his key."

The elder woman's expression lightened, "Ah, I see. Well, Dr. Yamada is currently tending to a patient but you may sit in his office until he returns. I'll just need a copy of your photo I.D."

The woman accepted Yasuho's card with a shaky hand, printing off a guest pass before handing both items to her. "He's located on the 6th floor, near the back end of the ICU. Have a nice day!"

Yasuho returned the woman's smile with one of her own and a curt bow, before making her way toward Kaito's office. The complimentary surgical mask she put on did nothing to protect her nose from being filled with the strong smell of alcohol and ammonia. White walls, white floors, white lights; it was a visually sterile environment. Not much personality or color to speak of.

... and another reason why Yasuho hated this place.

The halls were crowded with patients, doctors, and visitors alike. All consumed in their own little worlds, bumping into others without much care. Wanting to avoid the masses of people, Yasuho clung to the walls and away from the center of the walkways. After passing through a security check at the entrance of the intensive care unit, she was directed to the end of the hall where she found a door labeled, Dr. Kaito Yamada.

She knocked, as a curtesy.

When no one answered, she quietly let herself in and closed the door behind her.

His private office was white like the halls and moderately sized; big enough to easily fit four people comfortably. Mounted on the walls were shelves filled with a wide assortment of medical publications as well as anatomical books. A life-sized skeletal model was propped up on a stand near the far corner of the room. The exam table, she assumed, was for sleeping on; it was unusual for a doctor to invite a patient into one's private office.

Yasuho plopped onto a stool she pulled from under his computer desk, spinning in it like a hyped up toddler. Yasuho giggled, taking pleasure in the dizziness that made her head feel like a cloud. It was an immature act, but the privacy of Kaito's office allowed her to be indulgent. Settling into a quieter state of mind, she listened to the muted sounds of life going on beyond the closed door. Her ears twitched to the hurried shuffling of feet, fragments of a serious conversation, and the soothing sounds of a soft _purr_.

"The radiator must be old." Yasuho thought aloud.

After ten minutes, her inquisitive nature took control and she began to snoop around Kaito's belongings. His black bomber hung on a hook, mounted on the door.

"Bingo!"

A small smirk appeared on Yasuho's face as she dug his wallet out of the coat pocket. She had no intention of swiping cash, she simply wanted to know more about him, for her mother's sake.

Thumbing through its contents, she found his practicing license.

 **Kaito Yamada**

 **Tokyo University**

 **Specialization: Neurological Surgery**

"Hmm..ok, Mr. Big shot.." Yasuho softly mocked.

At least he hadn't lied about his job..

If there was one thing her mother couldn't stand, it was a **broke** liar.

Next, she reached the album section of his wallet which held three photos. The first image was of his graduation from medical school. Kaito stood alone, no family or friends with whom to celebrate the occasion were present. Regardless, his face held a familiar glee that said he was ready to conquer the world.

Next, was a couple's photo of him and her mom taking a selfie on the beach. They looked genuinely happy as her mother laid down next to Kaito's sand covered body. She had tastefully sculpted him a set of boobs from the sand.

Reluctantly, small giggle escaped Yasuho's lips.

Her eyes widened as she recognized the girl in the last photo.

"She really gave him my picture..." She couldn't decided on whether to feel flattered or livid. Neutral is where she stayed, considering her mother didn't try to keep her a secret prior to the elopement.

Sighing, she placed the wallet and all its contents back into its appropriate pocket.

 **Click!**

Yasuho panicked when she heard a loud sound behind her.

"I'm sorry, this isn't what it looks like!" She pleaded, afraid of being caught red handed, snooping in the doctor's coat.

After a moment, Yasuho paused.

The only entrance to the room was the door on which the coat hung. She had been facing it the whole time, and it hadn't moved at all from what she could tell.

"What is going on?" The words that escaped her lips were hushed by the fear of an answer. Yasuho, felt something big nudge into the small of her back and push her chest into the wooden door.

She screamed.

The surprise of having her body pinned made her tears fall in full panic.

 _Is this a stand attack?!_

Another deep voiced purr emanated from whatever creature had caught her in its grips, sending a soul-shaking chill to the very core of her being. Her body trembled violently as she felt a hot breath work its way up and down her spine.

Unable to turn around, Yasuho activated her stand.

" _Paisely Park!_ " She commanded from where her cheek was smashed against the door.

What appeared to be Yasuho's shadow sprouted from underneath her, taking on a 3 Dimensional body as it lifted from the wall. Its form was as curvaceous as hers and adorned with markings patterned after the map of Morioh. Her stand intersected her body, overlapping it within a pink luminescent mist as it recorded what Yasuho was unable to see.

Closing her eyes, she focused on her connection to her stand.

She saw what it saw.

Felt what it felt.

Expecting the worse, Yasuho inwardly prayed to whatever God was out there that she'd be able to make it out alive. Then she opened her mind's eye to solidify the connection.

What she saw was indeed something one would expect to purr.

A large cat-like creature was rubbing its head into her back. Its anthropomorphic form, built like a bodybuilder, was as tall as her chest even when crouched on all fours. Every sinewy muscle, rippled with just a minor movement of its powerful limbs.

"Omg, its a stand!" She squeaked in a voice she hope was quiet enough not to alarm the large beast. She winced as its large, leather-gloved, hands gripped her ankles; its sharp claws pierced in to her soft skin with ease. The cold trickle of blood gliding into her white socks made her woozy.

Yasuho closed her eyes again, in an effort to calm her pounding heart. Gathering her resolve, she stretched a hand back as far as it would go, extending her finger tips to catch a hold of the back of its hairless head.

She scratched.

Lightly, of course.

Yasuho bit her lip, peaking one eye open to check if she had just sealed her fate.

To her relief, the creature let go of her legs, its head leaning more toward her hand which was scratching it with as much affection as she could muster. Turning around slowly, she saw that it was a perfect mix between cat and human. Its large ears, which protruded from the top of its head, twitched playfully along with her fingers.

She suppressed a fearful giggle. Cuteness ended at the point of being able to tear a man in half. Yasuho knew better than to be a cause of alarm.

Caution was key.

The strange stand continued to purr enthusiastically, until her tired hand stopped scratching.

Its angular eyes shot open to regard her every movement with the intensity of a fearsome lion. Thin pupils were fully exposed, calculating in a way that made Yasuho gulp reflexively.

She then decided her fingers were, in fact, not too tired to keep on scratching.

The whole situation was unsettling to her.

 _If a stand was here, where was its user?_

She could not shake the feeling that something was very wrong here.

From its appearance, Yasuho could feel the overwhelming power rolling off its form in waves which meant it was most likely a close range stand. Its owner had to be within a radius of 10 meters.

Slowly, Yasuho kneeled until she was face to face with the creature.

"Are you Kaito's?" She asked softly.

Her body fell back against the door, as it bared its fangs, closing in on her small form. It growled ferociously caging her body into place when it straddled her in a crouched position, never touching her, but not backing away either.

She took it as a 'no.'

Yasuho looked up at her at her own stand, willing it to dive into the computer system on her step father's desk. It may not be Kaito's stand but he had to know _something_ about it.

She could feel her consciousness merge with _Paisley park_ , yet again as she began to free fall within the virtual world. The hospital's security system was top notch, but _Paisley Park_ was made for infiltration. Energy surged through her body with each security level she breached. Neon blue tracks lined the walls like hieroglyphs scaling down a seemingly endless pit.

Countless doors appeared before her.

There wasn't a need to open any at random, she knew intuitively what they led to. Insurance records, bills, blood tests, Yasuho was aware of them all. It was the closest to being omniscient, that she could imagine; the ability of knowing everything, all at once, and being able to sort through it all. She was limited only by the range of the computer's network.

Before she knew it, she had reached the end of Kaito's files, disappointed when nothing stuck out to her. She flipped her body so that she landed feet first on the hard surface of the virtual floor. A wide circular wall encompassed her space. Yasuho looked up at the countless levels of doors and data she broke through to get to her current location.

"There has to be _something_ in here.." Yasuho took in the last level of files. These doors held Kaito's personal information; his family registry, internal training results..

"No good." There was nothing out of the ordinary from what she could tell. Maybe if she could get a closer look at the lines of circuitry on the walls.

She took a step toward the wall, surprised when she felt a strong draft push her body backwards slightly. Unprepared, Yasuho lost her footing and hit the ground hard.

That's never happened before..

Curious, she squinted her eye to get a closer look at what had assaulted her. Barely visible, in the crease between the wall and the floor, was a vent. Hissing sounds emanated from it, as it pushed red embers into the air. She reached a finger, tentatively, to a glowing light that flew in front of her face, dancing like a fire fly on a summer's night. While other lights died, this one remained.

It held a warmth to it that drew her in.

When it landed on her index finger it, popped. Sparks flew in every direction, causing her to guard her face with her forearms reflexively from the wave of unexpected energy.

When she peaked her eye open, text floated in front of her like a phantom.

 **Human**

That was odd. She hadn't asked for any information. Usually, her data grabbing powers only worked when she actively sought to penetrate an archive..

Yasuho touched another ember, this time prepared for the small explosion that came with it. Again, more abstract information floated in front of her.

 **Age: 29**

"It's a trail.." Determined, Yasuho made her way to the source of the embers. Pushing past the onslaught of exploding embers, information was thrown at her like balls of hail in a thunderstorm.

 **Marine Surgeon**

 **Male**

There was no way to guard herself completely as she felt sharp stings on her legs, arms, and abdomen. It was the best she could do to guard her face. Every step she took was met with resistance. Crouching to lower her center of gravity, Yasuho practically crawled, digging her fingers into cracks in the floor in order to stop herself from being thrown back.

"So close.."

Her limbs were beginning to ache. She'd never been met with so much resistance...which meant the vent was exactly where she needed to be. It was obvious that wherever it led to, was not a place she was wanted.

When she became close enough, she thrust her fingers between the metal dividers within the vent to lock herself in place. Turning her head did nothing to stop the embers from flying into her face. Each pop emitted a light that might as well have been a solar flare. She dug her feet into the ground and spread them as she crouched.

Reaffirming her grip on the vent, she pulled with all her might.

It didn't budge.

A certain knowing washed over Yasuho and she relinquished control of _Paisley Park's_ form. Suddenly, her fingertips sprouted like roots from her hand, delving into the depths beyond the metal shades of the vent. She wasn't sure what her stand was searching for, until a growing light leaked from the the gaps.

The image of a young man began to materialize in her mind. Dark wavy hair, complimented by full lips and a delicate, almost feminine nose that made Yasuho's heart skip a beat. There was something familiar about the person she saw. It was only a glimpse and she couldn't see his eyes, but even Paisley Park seemed drawn in by him as her fingers dug more desperately, prodding for any lock that would break the barrier between Yasuho and this peculiar man.

"O-ouch!"

A burning sensation singed her fingertips.

But Yasuho knew the pain was not in vain when the vent lifted from the floor.

Gauging the hole, she was just small enough to...

A loud siren went off.

Before she could react, she was hit in the chest with a force strong enough to split her consciousness from her stand.

Yasuho opened her eyes in a state of shock.

All the colors of kaito's fluorescent light split apart in a circular wave of rainbow swirls.

Her head hurt.

Her legs hurt.

Her face hurt.

Everything hurt.

Yasuho leaned heavily against the back of the office door as she caught her bearings. Red blotches covered her pale body like a case of measles; some were blisters. That explained why her body felt like she had been doused with gasoline and set ablaze.

Yasuho's eyes shot up as she remembered the dangerous situation she was in.

Where was that cat stand?

To her relief, only _Paisley Park's_ form crouched over her, it's large singular eye blinking, like a child in need of direction.

Yasuho cupped her stand's cheek affectionately.

She felt a tinge of sorrow as she realized its body was just as damaged as her own. To be honest, she was surprised to feel so much pain, through her stands body. Damage taken by long range stands weren't supposed to affect the user's physical body.

She'd have to be more careful in the future..

"Well, we tried.." It felt like she was speaking to a daughter, as its form closely resembled her. It even had her signature ponytails and decorative barrettes.

Nodding, _Paisley Park_ stood up and pointed to the back wall of the office, where the cat-like stand creature was scratching. It looked as if half the wall had slid two inches to the right and opened a portal within the time/space continuum.

A bit dramatic?

Yes.

But the whole situation was disorienting for her. Yasuho felt like she was starring in an episode of her favorite mystery cartoon, Scooby Doo. She'd stumbled upon a trail of clues that seemed to lead toward something important.

Back in the computer's main frame she felt something brake. Looking at the faint blinking light beyond the wall, she was beginning to realize what it was.

Yasuho retracted her stand, not paying any mind to it fading out of existence as she walked passed it. Whatever was behind the wall held the key to what Kaito was hiding. There was no other choice, but to investigate.

Fear escaped her as she boldly approached the wall at the back of Kaito's office. Her eyes were fixated what laid behind the barrier. She ran a hand lightly along the head of the cat-stand, which drew back onto its hind legs to look at her expectantly.

 _This must have been what it wanted all along.._

Whatever was waiting for her had to be related to the man she saw in the virtual plane. The information she downloaded came rushing back like a waterfall, taking over her vision as all the text reappeared before her eyes.

 **29 years.**

 **Human male.**

She gripped the opening of the wall.

 **Blood Type: O**

Yasuho pushed all her strength into the opening, not surprised when it slid open as if lubricated with butter.

 **Stand user**

A small amount of light spilled over from the main room into the opening.

 **Killer Queen**

The cat-like stand scurried past her to a bed stationed near the back end of the hidden room, just out of reach of the light.

She followed.

Her heart pounded in her ears, as she watched the cat creature jump onto the bed and nuzzle into someone who had no reaction.

She could hear a series of machines; swooshing, beeping, grinding in an orchestra of mechanical rhythm. An IV lay to the side of the bed, filled with an unnamable yellow liquid being fed through a venous line straight into his arm.

Fear caressed her heart as the he last word of her data dive appeared before her...

 **Deceased.**

..because the body in front of her was still breathing.

Her breaths became labored with uncontrolled emotions as the gravity of the situation took full effect. Strength drained from her legs and she collapsed at the foot of the bed.

Yasuho barley suppressed a sob.

After a few moments, she wiped the blurriness from her vision.

Swallowing nervously, she reached for the small strip of paper tied to the man's toe by a string of elastic.

In small black text, she read the name.

 **Yoshikage Kira**


	7. Chapter 7

"Impossible."

The last time Yasuho had seen Kira Yoshikage, his decayed wrist was poking out from under a mound of dirt at the wall eyes. She had called the police herself and saw the body collected by the coroner. By all means, the authorities should have ordered it to be cremated at this point.

Yet there he was.

Hooked up to every kind of machinery she'd never seen before.

Yasuho stood up and approached the body with caution. His alabaster skin was cool and smooth beneath the finger she dragged along the curve of his calf. The muscle, small and tight, clung to the bone like a wet towel.

Yoshikage was naked, save for a small linen cloth to cover his private. His chest was broad like Josuke's and glistened with a soft sheen as the contours of his rib cage expanded abruptly with each pump of a rather loud contraption.

Just how long had the body been in this hospital?

There was chart board clipped to the side of the bed which Yasuho wasted no time to inspect. Whomever had decided to keep it, must've had a goal in mind. She read the report with bated breath.

* * *

 **Case study:** _Hybrid Rokakaka recipient._

 **Subject:** _Kira Yoshikage, 29 — Ship Doctor_

 _Suspected of rokakaka theft, subject was confronted by Damo Tamaki's group, but managed to escape along with one other individual, kuujo Josefumi._

 _They sustained grave injuries that led to consumption of a grafted version of the Rokakaka. (Base plant, determined to be a peach tree.)_

 _Subject was later nuetralized by Yagiyama Yotsuyu and buried underground near the Higashikata estate. When the subject's body was discovered by civilians, it was retrieved by Rock Human division 901 and brought to University Hospital for further research._

 _The body of his co-conspirator, Kuujo Josefumi, has yet to be found._

 _(Damo Tamaki has adopted his family registry and other identification files.)_

 **Research findings:**

 _Upon retrieval, body was found to have begun the decay process. Damo Tamaki reported removal of subject's liver, along with various other cuts and lacerations sustained during an interrogation process._

 _When inspected, the wounds were found to be sufficiently healed. The liver was partially regenerated as well._

 _Moreover, after connecting the body to life support, cell turnover was stimulated and the body began to revive immediately. The liver produced could sufficiently filter toxins out of the blood stream and functions normally._

 _There has been no detectable brain waves since retrieval, however, when disconnected from life support the body can support itself for 72 hours before showing signs of breakdown._

 **Equivalent Exchange Results:**

 _1\. Irises are bicolored._

 _2\. Testicles are missing_

 _3\. Tongue is bi-textured_

 _4\. DNA showed abnormal chromosome count and appears unstable._

 _When considering the state of the subject's body, we have concluded that the Rokakaka fruit produced through grafting, has introduced a new form of equivalency. While the original Rokakaka produced an exchange within the consumer's own body, we speculated that the grafted Rokakaka produced an exchange between two individuals with minimal adverse effects. Findings will remain incomplete until the other half of the subject's equivalent exchange is found and studied, or a similar fruit is cultivated and tested._

 **Further Action:**

 _1\. Retrieve the body of Kuujo Josefumi_

2\. Locate the exact tree on which the Rokakaka was grafted in order to conduct research under controlled conditions.

* * *

Yasuho's brows furrowed.

As far as she knew Kuujo Josefumi's body was no more. Josuke was all that was left, which meant he was their main target as of now.

"Oh, God.. Josuke.."

Yasuho, heaved a frustrated breath. Her head suddenly became foggy as she attempted to process the seriousness of her 'd only come to Kaito's office for a quick errand and ended up walking straight into devil's chamber. There was no doubt in her mind, Kaito had to be a Rock Person; he was connected to the people who left Josuke to die at the wall eyes!

And he had married her mother.

This was bad.

 _Very bad._

Yasuho's finger trembled where it rested on the metal handrail of the hospital bed causing what she assumed to be Yoshikage's stand, _Killer Queen_ , to look at her curiously from where it was nuzzled against his body. The sight of it's massive muscles cuddling Yoshikage's significantly smaller frame would have been comical in less stressful circumstances. But considering what she was currently dealing with, Yasuho realized that she was in danger.

"What should I do?"

She wasn't confident in her ability to carry Yoshikage's body, but she couldn't just leave him there either. He was a part of Josuke, of that, she was sure.

Her phone gently chimed, bringing her out of her train of thought.

There was no text, or call to show on the history, but she was smart enough to take the hint that _Paisely Park_ gave to her. She had to tell Josuke what she found. He'd know what to do.

But what could she tell him?

 _'Hey, I just found your corpse, mind if I take it home?'_

Not that she could take it home.

Kaito would be there...and he would know what she did. Lost for words, she activated her phone's camera and documented Yoshikage's Medical records, storing them to her phone along with pictures of his body and started to text Josuke.

Right as she was about to press send, she heard the main door to the office open with a loud **click!** Yasuho quickly ducked to the side, behind a thick cart alongside the sole entry to the hidden room.

"I see you've made a mess of the place, Yamada-san..almost makes me regret moving to the gynecology department." A deep, but unfamiliar voice rung out along with two sets of footsteps.

"Not at all, Dr. Tomoki. My office is ordered efficiently for what I need to accomplish." Kaito's lyrical voice was a stark contrast to his companion's low monotone.

"What was that again? I heard you lost a patient today. What was it that you were accomplishing?" She heard a mild creaking noise followed by a thud of a body sitting onto a chair.

"Oh c'mon Tomoki-kun" Kaito teased. "My best services are reserved for those who can afford my talents, as you well know."

"I'm not familiar with failure in any sense. I only know success. I've never, in all my practice, have lost anyone or anything."

"How lucky your patients must be." Kaito's hearty laugh was cut short by a sudden wail of plastic grinding into the tile was a moment of silence and had Yasuho not been looking at the light protruding from the only opening to the room, she wouldn't have realized how compromised her safety had become.

The elongated shadows of the two men grew within the entryway.

Yasuho sat, hunched, in the darkness of the hidden room, holding her knees tight to her chest and trying not to draw attention to herself.

Silly her, didn't think to close the door.

She was reckless like that.

Too caught up in the chaos of the situation to cover her tracks.

A growing desperation set her heart aflight.

Facing Kaito alone didn't seem like a good idea. Every rock-human she'd come in contact with, seemed to be a stand user. Not to mention his companion could be insanely strong... There was no telling what kind of powers they held.

Her confidence in her fighting ability was lacking. She'd dealt with one other Rock Human in the past with the aid of Jobin's son, Tsurugi. The deception of his stand, _Paper Moon_ King, tricked the murderous rock-being into getting hit by a bus. They barely managed to escape.

But in this moment, she was without aid.

Yasuho' s whole being was overcome with terror when she looked up, seeing the profile of a tall man dressed in a lab coat. He was peering past the barrier at Yoshikage's form. A name tag that read Dr. "Tomoki" was pinned awkwardly on his sleeve, barely visible.

His refined lips were down-turned in distaste. "Damn fool. I remember when the brat used to come in here with his mother Kira Holly."

"You're familiar?" Kaito's head peaked from beyond the other doctor, confusion clear on his handsome features.

"Unfortunately." Dr. Tomoki continued. "Holly-san was one of the best surgeons in Morioh. Her spoiled child used to run these halls with undeserved privileges. I, myself, have seen him assist her without a license."

"Really? With the prudes that run this place?" Kaito questioned.

"You can't prove malpractice when the treatment is stand-based." Dr. Tomoki ran a hand over his tall hair, producing a crunch as it was met by the resistance of his stiff follicles. Yasuho could've sworn she saw dandruff flying off of him like snow.

"He was always a cocky young man. His stand power really made him believe he could get away with taking one of our Rokakakas." Kaito didn't seem bothered by the downfall of rock human debris blowing his way and listened interestedly as his friend continued.

"Yoshikage thought he could cure his mother's disease with it. Now he's dead, and she's been carted off to a quiet corner of the hospital to mentally dissolve in peace."

"Damn. Karma's a bitch." Kaito stepped fully in to the room

and sauntered to Yoshikage's the bedside.

The cat-like stand hadn't moved an inch since the two rock humans arrived, nuzzling Yoshikage's cheek as it had been before.

"Oh, look. A wild pussy." Kaito lips stretched into a mirthful grin as he mocked the stand.

"Leave that thing alone. It's nothing more than Yoshikage's pitiful shadow." A twinge of irritation rose in Dr. Tomoki's monotone.

He paused for a moment before stepping wholly into the room as well. "Speaking of which, I'd wish you'd be less reckless... you left this backroom open. Now I'm forced to clean up your mess."

Yasuho's heart stopped as he turned his tall frame toward her.

Dr. Tomoki locked eyes with Yasuho's crouched form, penetrating every mental fabrication of safety she'd woven to calm herself. He cocked his head to the side as Kaito followed his line of sight.

Kaito's festive demeanor and Tomoki's deadpan were night and day. The sole similarity shared between the men was a mirthful grin that left Yasuho to become undone. Her body shook involuntarily as she dropped her cell.

"...please!" She could hardly collect her words before Tomoki shut the opening in the wall behind him, shrouding them all in darkness and strangling Yasuho's only source of light.


	8. Chapter 8

"Hoodlum! Watch where you're going!"

This again..

Josuke barely had time to breathe, so proper etiquette was out the window.

Luckily, he was vaguely familiar with downtown Morioh after tailing Yasuho last night..

She seemed ok when he left her; assuming the older woman who greeted her at the apartment complex was her mother... the hair color was totally different though. He wasn't so sure pink was Yasuho's natural hair color either. They shared the same face at least, give or take a few wrinkles. Bothering her was a mute point, as she had made it home safe like she'd said she would.

Yasuho seemed to want space from him when she left the Higashikata estate, so he figured it was best to leave without her knowing he followed. From his observations of Joshuu, he concluded that women didn't like to be stalked.

But when morning came, he was more than happy when Joshuu's phone emitted a girly squeal - he assumed it was a recording of some pop star- alerting him of a new text. He opened it, and was utterly bewildered. Josuke honestly didn't want to believe it, but his eyes called his mind a fool as he stared down at a snapshot of Kira Yoshikage's body.

His body.

But he was dead.

It was illogical.

It just couldn't be..

But it was.

And it made his head hurt.

..what was going on?

He desperately flipped through the the flurry of messages that followed the picture. Each containing details about Yoshikage, some he was aware of through investigation of Norisuke-san's study, and some he wasn't. He could make out the metal clamp of a clipboard. They were snapshots of a report. Whatever room Yasuho was in, was dark. He could barely make out the text of the paper, but thanks to the high resolution of the photo, he was able to get the gist of everything.

Then his phone chimed again with a location: University Hospital.

Shaking his head, Josuke burst through the front entrance.

"Yasuho!" Josuke surveyed the area.

There were too many hallways.

Just where the hell was she!

"Yaasuhooo!" He yelled, as if she would pop out amongst the crowd of shaken hospital visitors. He really didn't have time for this! "Yasu-"

"Young man, can I help you?" A wilted voice floated behind him. He turned to come face to face with an elder woman. She wore a name tag so he assumed she worked there.

"Yes! Where's Yasuho?" He jogged up the guest services counter, slamming his hand on the marble surface.

The old woman paused to take in his appearance before she spoke again.

"Oh, are you expecting a baby? Congratulations, young man!" she started to sing. Tapping on the the keyboard in front of her. "The maternity ward is on the east end so if you walk that wa-"

"No, that's not it! I got a text from Yasu-chan-"

"Kaede-san, that's Dr. Kaito's daughter. Hirose-san's probably still up in his office. " A younger woman spoke as she walked behind the counter to sit beside her.

"Really, it's been over 2 hours..."

Wait.

Yasuho rarely talked about her household. From what he remembered, her dad was M.I.A. That definitely didn't sit right with him.

"I need to talk to her. It's an emergency!" Josuke inserted himself back into the conversation. He could hear the urgency in his own voice, heart beginning to pound again.

"You have no admitted family members in the ICU and being a boyfriend of a doctor's daughter doesn't permit entry. So please take a seat and wait for her to come down to you."

"I can't! Let. Me. Up!" Josuke grit his teeth.

Waiting was not an option.

Whoever had Yoshikage's body was probably connected to the rokakaka trade.

Which meant Yasuho was in actual danger this time, if she was still up there..

Alone.

Their fight with Urban Guerilla made it clear that Rock Humans were deeply embedded within the medical industry. He wouldn't be mildly surprised if this building was bursting at the seams with them.

"I said, take a seat young man!" The old woman's tone was brittle. A single raised finger signaled the security guards camped out by the waiting room's coffee machine to perk up.

One was a middled-aged man, while the other didn't seem too much older than Josuke looked. The uniformed men were well-built, with furrowed brows, heads tilted in a silent dare, looking for trouble.

"Kaede-san, is there a problem?" The younger security guard flexed his arms and rolled his shoulders, eyes never leaving Josuke's.

Josuke didn't blink, briefly wondering if Rock humans adapted to security jobs as well.

Actually, it didn't matter.

He was seriously considering whooping that guy's ass.

Yea, that might be nice..

Then a familiar high pitched squeal emitted from his pants pocket.

"La la Mizumi? I love her!" The older guard who'd yet to interject, grinned from ear to ear. He crouched slightly, balling his hairy fingers like a hyper school girl before he started singing " Oh my love. Dance, dance, dance for my heaaart-"

Josuke couldn't be bothered.

He read the text, not sparing a 2nd glance.

Yasuho: Rm 612

"Never mind that, weirdo." The younger guard turned his nose up in disgust, pushing against Josuke's shoulder. "Yo, kid! I said IS THERE A PROBLEM?!"

"No, I'm actually gonna wait..." Josuke pointed toward the seated guest area the hospitality worker mentioned. " ..right over there. Forgive my confusion."

Sparing the fakest smile he could muster, Josuke took a seat.

That seemed to appease everyone.

The two security guards gave him one last scowl before heading back to the coffee machine. Though the situation was dire, Josuke realized a few seconds were required to make sure he got out of there without a ruckus.

From what he surmised, there were three cameras covering the waiting area and the adjacent hall.

Two hospitality workers watching, ready to kick him out.

Two rent-a-cops who needed a reason to feel important.

And a nurse who had peaked at him during the altercation.

It was apparent that any attempt made to walk past them would be met with accusations and resistance.

He would get to the ICU, regardless.

A deep breath, and Josuke did what needed to be done.

"Soft and Wet!"

A decrease of B12 and testosterone in the front hospitality workers.

Electricity from the security cameras..

Peripheral vision from the nosy nurse.

And lastly, a small snip of muscle from the urinary tract of the officers.

His stand, Soft and Wet, swiped what he commanded, bubbles flying to their assigned locations, while its targets were none the wiser.

And it was done.

When the hospitality workers started immediately yawning, Josuke nearly patted himself on the back.

"Oi, oi, old man! I told you to wear a diaper, dammit! F-fuck, my shoe-"

It was a miracle that the security guards didn't wake the front desk women who had slumped into a graceless slumber. Yellow fluid leaked from under the hems of their black pants, and over the leather of their shoes to form a small pool of putrid fluid at their feet.

"Look who's talking! Get away from me! You're pissin' my leg!" The older man pointed an accusing finger at his partner.

The younger guard looked at his pants zipper in horror as a golden shower flew out. Jumping back in horror, his foot caught the slick of the tiled floor, causing his feet to kick up in a loss of balance. Too slow to escape, the elder guard was clocked by the hand his partner threw out to stabilize himself.

One loud smack, a subtle crack, and both guards fell hard; splashing pee on a misfortunate bystander before laying motionless in their own fluids. Neither of them would be rising anytime soon.

Score.

Josuke passed by a flamboyantly uniformed man with a mop who screamed, "BioHazard!" on his way to the elevators.

With no one left to stand in his way, he swore Soft and Wet was the best stand there ever was.


	9. Chapter 9

The journey to the room was uneventful, but when Josuke's fingers met the door handle, he was ready for anything.

" _Soft and Wet_ ," he whispered, pushing the office door open, fists up for a brawl.

"Oh, hey Josuke!" The door swung open to Yasuho, swinging in circles upon a small stool.

Definitely not the sight he imagined.

Without a word, he pushed through the entrance, gingerly grasping a hand around her wrist to hoist her up to her feet. One by one, Josuke gently twisted and turned her arms, checking for damage.

She didn't appear hurt.

No scratches, nor bruised flesh..

He twirled her slowly, as if for a waltz, ignoring her puzzled expression in order to inspect her from behind. Calloused fingers ran along her spine to her lower back before she squeaked, turning around to swat him away.

"Josuke, what are yo-"

"Yasuho!" Satisfied, Josuke finally wrapped his arms around her, anchoring her small frame to his chest, as if she'd be blown away by a slight draft. "What's going on? When you sent me that text I was so worried something had happened to you.."

"There's nothing to worry about," She giggled, pulling away to look at him directly. Her smile was carefree as she licked her lips. "I just wanted to show you something you might be interested in."

Her eyes looked a little red.

 _Had she been crying?_

He'd make a point to ask her about it later. But for now..

"I saw. Where is he? I mean... me." Josuke furrowed his brow, not sure if he phrased it correctly.

Just how should he refer to Yoshikage Kira..

Was he him?

Should Kira be considered a father who gave birth to him?

No, that wasn't right.

Kira was him, partially.

So Josuke tried again, "Where am I?"

"You're right here, silly." Tapping the tip of his nose; Rosette hair tickled his cheek as Yasuho pushed her body into him.

Josuke gave little resistance, taking a step back as her hand braced her weight against his broad chest, allowing himself to be pushed back against the door, which closed shut behind him.

"You're here with me." Yasuho nuzzled her face in to the crook of his neck, fingers grazing along the white fibers of his sailor shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles. She hummed in contentment, as she explored the dark stripes of his collar, to sling her arms over his broad shoulders, the softness of her chest pushing into his unrelenting build.

Josuke was taken aback.

They'd been affectionate before, but Yasuho had never been this forward with him about it. She wasn't exactly a wallflower, but she tended to be sheepish about initiating contact. It sometimes made him wonder if it had something to do with not wanting to be poked again like the first time they hugged. He'd always needed to remind himself that poking her was a bad thing, and made her uncomfortable.

Nevertheless, Josuke returned the hug, happy for the contact. Her warmth felt like the missing piece to his broken existence. Since he awoke at the wall eyes, his life had been nothing but piecing together some semblance of who he used to be..or who he should be..

Every answer gave birth to several more questions.

And everyone who held an answer, had something else to hide.

Yasuho was the only constant in his life.

As grateful as he was to Norisuke-san, he knew that he'd never fully be able to trust the man. The same went for the majority of the Higashikata family. Despite being adopted and sheltered under their name, Josuke knew he'd never truly be one of them. And while he had his own goals, their conflict of interests were growing more apparent by the day. Masked by charades of hospitality, their end game goals were the same:

 _Claim the Rokakaka._

And for that, he'd never let his guard down around 'd do whatever it took to save Holly-san because in his heart, he knew he was born to save her. If he couldn't do that, then his entire existence was in vain.

Yasuho understood that. That's why she was the only person he could trust without reservation. When complexity of the world consumed him, Yasuho made herself a buffer until he could understand what was going on. From the beginning she'd led him by the hand, asking for nothing in return. Helping him find his identities, picking up clues on how to save his mother, coming around just for the sake of seeing him. It was odd, but it was nice.

He liked that.

He liked her..and it felt right.

He couldn't speak much from his experience with human relations but something about her made the achy-ness of not knowing what he didn't know, just a little lighter. As if the weight of Kira and Josefumi's world wasn't as unbearable.

She knew him.

Not Kira, not Josefumi.

Just...Josuke Higashikata.

And she treated him like he was enough, even without the rokakaka. With her, he had value. He had a cause outside of that forbidden fruit. Yasuho was the only one he'd never let go of...and she clung to him too, even when that meant staring into the face of death. Unfortunately, the target on his back was contagious and led her into danger, more times than he ever liked.

So in his heart, he swore to always protect her.

 _Always._

"Ya-Yasuho..." Breathless, Josuke could feel his heart take off again, for different reasons, when delicate fingers slid beneath the hem of his shirt causing his stomach to recoil as they feathered along the groves of his abdomen. He was relying on the door more and more to hold up his weight as Yasuho peppered kisses along his collarbone.

The hospital wasn't the place for this sort of thing, but then her fingers dipped against his pelvis causing a low groan to drown out any protest ready to fall from his lips.

oh, no.

"Aaah-ah! Yasuhoo, we need to-"

He felt something happening again...near his groin.

It was starting to twitch.

He didn't want to scare her away again..

"Josuke?" Her voice, innocently questioned.

"Mmmm, mmmn...not h-here.." He opened his eyes, flourescent light suddenly making him feel exposed. It took all of his self control to grip Yasuho's shoulders and pry her back, but her hands gripped him with a surprising force. "F-fuck. Yasuho what is with you?!"

Josuke was becoming more unsettled by the moment.

He needed to get out of there asap.

He needed to get **her** out of there.

Josuke pushed past Yasuho, and began rummaging the contents of the desk behind her. Notepads full of chicken scratch, pens, and wastes bags, disinterested him. He Turned to Yasuho. "Where's the body?"

"What body?" Yasuho rocked on the heels of her feet, swaying her arms playfully.

"What body?! You sent me a picture of Kira!"

"That was just a picture. I was dropping off lunch for my dad, and got a little curious." She sauntered over to reach an arm past him and clicked the power button of the computer. She observed the machine's last breath before continuing, "..just thought you'd appreciate the pic. It's not exactly public record but the government likes to take pictures of bodies before they send them off for cremation. Consider it a keepsake."

Josuke fixed her with a scowl. He looked from the blank computer screen to the hand she placed on his shoulder. "Where is he?"

"Didn't you hear me, it's just a pict-"

She couldn't finished her sentence before he shoved Joshuu's phone in her face. "You see this picture?" Josuke's finger trailed the screen until it reached the corner tapping it for good measure. He then grabbed her hand, inspecting the yellow and black-striped nail design that matched the hand gripping the railing next to Kira Yoshikage's body.

"Stop messing with me." his tone was dangerous. "..Whoever you are."

She stared blankly a few moments before speaking carefully.

"Josuke, please... don't joke.. you're not forgetting me, are you?" Only then, did _Yasuho's_ expression falter. Her lips quivered, "How could you?"

The disappointment in her voice, nearly broke him.

Almost.

Yasuho's eyes were pleading as she loosened his grip on her wrist, and guided his palm to her cheek. She rubbed her warmth against him, parting her lips before she closed the distance between them. "Let me help you remember.."

Her breath was warm on his lips before he cupped her face, sliding his thumb under her chin for good measure and effectively stopping her advance. Her squishy face would have been comical under other circumstances, but he levied her with blunt expression.

"Yasuho would never lie to me," He squeezed harder with each syllable."Where. Is. She?"


	10. Chapter 10

Laughter.

Disconnected and soft, before growing into a louder, manic chuckle, deeper than any sound he'd ever heard from her lips. In that moment the body before him, the perfect likeness of Yasuho, lost every beam, every twinkle of light that made her the comforting presence he'd sought haven in. No warmth. Her eyes, but a vacuous pit, that he wasn't sure what kind of monster was about to crawl out of.

When Josuke pushed her back against the wall, next to the bed, there was no resistance. No screams, just an ever perverse smile. Lips curved in the shape of victory.

 _Unjustly so._

And it burned him inside.

He didn't know how this ordeal would pan out, but it was far from over. Surely, he'd be the one to declare Checkmate. Even with a mountain dividing him from his goal. Josuke would blow it away, if it meant saving Yasuho.

She was precious; the closest Josuke imagined he could be to a person, short of fusing with them.

He belonged with her...and she with him.

He'd kill anyone that dared to harm her.

 _If only he could fight this battle without hurting her.._

"What's wrong? " Yasuho snickered. "You look constipated."

Josuke punched the wall an inch from her face, stooping down to level her gaze. "Don't Fuck with me."

Josuke's voice was a growl as he locked her between his arms, trapping her against the wall. He wasn't going to let go until he figured out, who she really was.

A stray hair must have blown into Yasuho's eye which she rubbed fervently, amusement gone. And with that, another shift seemed to occur and her demeanor lightened.

Yasuho blinked profusely, lips quivering as her features became worried.

"J-josuke..?" Her voice shook, but when her arms reached out to him, he held her in place with a firm hand on her chest. A bit of life, leaked into her eyes, but disappeared just as quickly. Something had gotten a hold of Yasuho, of that he was certain. He didn't know what kind of stand attack this was, but he needed to get this sorted out quick.

"Where is Yasuho?" Josuke scoffed at the softness in his own voice. He had to buckle down on his resolve, determined not to let himself be fooled by an act again.

"Yasuho?" She questioned, dumbstruck.

"Yea. Where is she?" His voice clipped.

Yasuho's chest erupted with a new set of chuckles, and if it had been any other face before him, they'd be counting teeth. But **this** body was still identical to Yasuho, so instead, he gently pushed her up against the wall again, for good measure. "Speak!" He demanded, gripping her face again.

She obliged.

"Quite bold of you to order me around my office." It huffed, looking at josuke gleefully through Yasuho's eyes. "I should say former office...but her **daddy** needed to take care of some business. I've staked claim in this space, so I I'll be **daddy** , for now."

 _Daddy?_

...how the fuck was this monster so familiar?!

 _Yasuho never mentioned her father._

He knew of her mom, sure. A seemingly crappy, but normal mom.

There was no way Yasuho could be connected to any other stand users aside from himself and the other Higashikatas. Josuke knew, the rock humans had to be involved in this somehow. They were ALWAYS at the center of every shitty occurrence in his life.

"I swear to God, if you don't start telling me what I want to hear-" Josuke would've lost it had it not been for the sudden change in her eyes.

"Josuke, I'm s-sorry!" Yasuho sniffled, voice back in its higher vocal range. To his horror, there were tears, as she bit her lip in distress.

He was sure of it now.

This was the girl he fell in love with at the wall eyes.

Yasuho was in there. But so was the problem, and he had to figure out how this **thing** got a'hold of her. It was like there were two people in Yasuho's body. Not unheard of, but Josuke was at a loss of how to fix it. Technically, he was a 2-in-1 deal, but he couldn't imagine being separated. He didn't feel like anyone else. He only felt like himself. Joshuu said he was a freak, but he never viewed that as a problem.

Yasuho's situation, however, was in need of a solution. A very delicate one, at that. He was so hesitant about how to handle her. Her trembling body was too fragile for this.

The sight before him was breaking his heart.

"Don't cry, just.." Josuke panicked.

He could see a spec of red at the corner of her eye.

He squinted.

 _Was that..?_

"Is there something in your eye?."

Yasuho's face deadened, head shaking mechanically as she turned away from him.

Josuke wasn't having it.

Something was disturbingly off about her reaction.

"Hold still." He coaxed.

Yasuho's eyes widened when he reached for her cheek.

"There's nothing there Josuke, don't touch me." She smacked his hand, and grunted when he grabbed her arm, preventing her from jumping back, and held her chin with his other hand.

It wasn't a request.

He used his fingers to spread her eyelids apart and stop her from blinking.

Then he saw it.

A drop of blood fell from the corner of her eye, trailing down her cheek like a statue of the Virgin Mary.

"I said it's nothing." Yasuho insisted, but her words were null and void from that point on, as he drew his stand.

"Soft and Wet!"

 _There was something in there.._

When Josuke tried to get a closer look, she started thrashing wildly.

"Josuke stop!" Yasuho hit his chest, nearly winding him with her small fist. When she pulled back for another hit, he grabbed her hand and pushed her over the patient's bed, next to them.

"Get off of me!"She screamed.

"Lay still." Josuke's breath was calm and steady as climbed on the bed to straddle her waist and prevent her from kicking. It only took one hand to pin both of hers above her head as he pried her lower lid back further. He could feel her angry breath, hot against his face as he came eye to eye with her.

 _He could probably get it out by hand..._

Meticulous fingers gently worked the small bulge from underneath her lower eyelid and up to the surface. "Almost got it.."

He swiped the corner of her eye with his thumb and a small pebble rolled out. Yasuho had settled down by then, her tantrum reduced to a few soft sobs and a hiccup here or there.

Josuke rubbed the grain between his thumb and index finger.

 _Was that what all of the fuss was about?_

It didn't look like a stand..or a rock human..

It was just..a pebble.

He was expecting more.

It was unusual, of course but it made him wonder, were rock humans able to project themselves through small grain? He'd have to be more careful if all it took was getting a small speck blown into your eye, for a total body takeover..

"Josuke, it hurts.." Yasuho moaned.

"...still?" He showed her the small stone he retrieved.

She nodded, her lips forming words too soft for him to hear.

"Hmm?" Josuke frowned when she grunted, her lips continuing to ghost over any form of recognizable speech.

Maybe she was just tired..

He could meet her halfway, he decided, when he lowered himself to make it easier for her to talk to him.

She seemed calm enough.

Yasuho's lips brushed against the shell of his ear. As she coughed, one syllable managed to track rasp that escaped her.

"Run."


End file.
